


Too Kind

by Life_of_Sin



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Healthy Relationships, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Mild Language, Multi, Romance, Smut, Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:22:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26697430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Life_of_Sin/pseuds/Life_of_Sin
Summary: Julian and his fiancée had an easy, wonderful life together, sailing the seas, exploring the world and doing it with each other. Then a quick stop in their home-city Vesuvia manages to undo everything. All with the arrival of one ex-Count Lucio.
Relationships: Julian Devorak/Lucio (The Arcana), Julian Devorak/Original Female Character(s), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. The Rowdy Raven's Rowdy Customer

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [We Are Not Friends](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23358118) by [cyanideinsomnia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyanideinsomnia/pseuds/cyanideinsomnia). 



> A little prologue-type thing would by my other work Coffee Stain (it's an odd title for the content I'm sorry but it kind of fit.) where Lucio is roaming the unforgiving magical realms and starting to fall apart already.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to Vesuvia began as a delightful bittersweet trip down memory lane. Until some memories come back too vividly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is influenced very, very heavily on cyanideinsomnia's work 'We Are Not Friends', and my first chapter is disgustingly similar to it, but it branches out, I swear, and please read their work before mine because it's just better, and the original and this is kind of like fanfiction of fanfiction...

It was odd, walking so surely along the sturdy cobblestones that paved Vesuvia's streets without fear of being arrested. By now Julian had become quite used to the rocking of a ship on the waves, adjusting the way he placed his long, gangly legs according to the ever-changing way in which the boat shifted from side to side. Every once in a while his grin would widen to greet an old friend or familiar face, he swung by the baker's stall in the marketplace, tossing down a handful of coins in exchange for a few too many loaves of pumpkin bread. He knew how much Violet loved it. Maybe if he planned his evening effectively he could manage to have one to himself before meeting his beloved fiancée the next morning.

"I'll give you three pieces for the pendant with the purple gemstone," He said, bartering with the gypsy set up beside a fortune-telling tent.

_I wonder if it's Asra's?_

He thought to himself and chuckled gently. "Three? It's easily worth ten!" The gypsy snapped back incredulously. "My dear, I can see the gold paint flaking on the chain," He said in a low voice, smirking at her, she spluttered as she looked at the necklace and indeed found chipping paint from being jostled from stall to stall as they moved through the market. "Fine." She grumbled eventually, rough hands pressing the necklace into his outstretched hand, snatching the gold from it as he did. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, my lady," He smiled, tucking the necklace into his shirt as he stepped away, hearing her grumble something incoherent about curses and big noses.

_Good luck._

He chuckled and strolled down the street in the direction of the Rowdy Raven.

"Oh, how I've missed this place," He grins, seeing the signboard at the end of the street, the badly-painted bird on it reminding him of Malak, the way the raven puffed up and screeched at anything that startled him. "Hey, mister!" He turned and saw a little street kid by the side of the road, waving at him and holding a hand out. "Got any spare change?" Julian looked at the kid and frowned softly. "And what would you be spending the money on?" He asked and the kid raised his eyebrow. "Food, of course!" He chuckled gently and reached into the large bag he was holding, where all the pumpkin bread was kept and ripped off half a loaf. "Here," He held it to the boy who clutched at it greedily, lifting it to his face to inhale the warm scent of the fresh yeast and sweet pumpkin. "And take this," He dropped a handful of coins into the boy's other hand, grinning at his dumbstruck look. "Take those to the shop in the Centre City with a snake wrapped around a mortar and pestle on its signpost. The man in there will give you some charms to help keep you healthy." The boy paused, turning his face up to meet Julian's. "A snake wrapped around a what?" Julian sighed softly and crouched to meet the boy's eyes. "Like a bowl, with a stick poking out of it. If you get lost, ask for Asra's shop." He stopped the boy from bolting down the street by catching his jaw gently. "Did you hear what I said about charms? They'll stop you from getting sick, or being cold, or getting hurt. Asra will make sure you get something good." The boy nodded and Julian let him go, allowing him to race down the street and careen into an alleyway.

He couldn't stop his grin as he continued to meander down the street, maybe a few too many coins lighter than he should be, but it wasn't going to put a dampen on his mood. As he passed an alley hands lashed out from the darkness, snatching his arm and dragging him into the tight space. "Hey! Get off me! You wanna fight, I'll fight! I warn you, I've traveled the world and gotten tips from the warriors in the Scourgelands!" Julian dropped the bag and held his hands up, fingers curled into fists, ready to intimidate whatever being had pulled him into the alley. He came to face a dirty pile of unfamiliar animal pelts, grimy hair hanging over the individual's face. They looked like if a lump of abandoned and soiled knock-off pelts became sentient and began roaming the streets of Vesuvia. To his surprise the sentient furs began chuckling, deep and rough. It was oddly familiar, patronising and nasally. Ugly. It filled Julian with a lingering resentment, as if someone embodied pure disgust.

"You haven't changed, Jules." His blood ran cold as the far too animalistic voice named him. With a nickname used by very few. "I-I don't...who are you?" He asked uncertainly and the man snorted. "I'm not surprised. You've had such an exciting life since we last saw each other." His grin was unsettling, yellow teeth with uncomfortable gaps where they've rotted out. "I suppose I do look very different since you all unbound me and left me for dead." Julian froze as the grating voice found its face in his head and a golden arm lifted from its place hidden amongst the pelts, catching the sparks of light in the alley as it slid over his face, lifting the hair from his eyes, revealing sharp silver eyes and aggressive, dark brows.

"Lucio." His voice came out as a hiss, catching the man off-guard slightly. "What, you aren't happy to see your old friend?" He paused, a smirk tugging at his cracked and bleeding lips. "Your old lover?" Julian's hand lifted to strike him but restrained himself barely.

_It won't end well, you idiot. Don't antagonise the creature._

"We aren't friends. And the next time you refer to me as your lover I'll call the guards. Past is past. If I had the fortitude I'd probably kill you for everything you put me and my friends through, let alone what you tried to do to Violet." Lucio's eyes rolled and he flicked not-so-imaginary dirt from his furs. "Oh yes. The witch." "I'll warn you, that the urge to kill you just got stronger." Lucio's silver eyes must have seen how serious Julian was, going from simple distanced surprise to complete disgust.

"We had some good times, didn't we Jules?" The man's voice dropped to a gentle, solemn tone. "No." Julian snarled. "Not even before? You certainly seemed to like me when you were wrapped in my sheets. Could we not do that again?" There was a quiet needing behind the count's words. He startled when Julian snorted and began laughing. "You never were good at reading people." He growled, all humour slipping from his voice. "I detest you, Lucio." Naming the entity before him seemed to bring an alarming amount of severity to the pair's conversation and the owner of the name paused before their lips turned up slightly. "Come on, Jules, the way you would moan for me so prettily, I never let anyone else touch me the way you did," Now the sultry tone was laced with a desperate keening, his fingers reaching closer to Julian's hand. "That was an eternity ago. Believe me, that naïve fool who believed your pillow-talk died when I was arrested for your murder." He snarled, yanking his hand away. "And anyway," His eyes had caught the silver band around his finger and he pinched it with his other hand longingly. "I have a wife, now." Lucio scoffed and leaned back in his seat. "Oh, that harlot. And you aren't married yet, dear Jules, you're only engaged, you sent a message to your friends, I heard that brute who owns the awful bar read out the letter." The rage had spread to Julian's chest and he fought the urge to lunge forward and strike the arrogant bastard. Lucio noticed the way Julian's eye flashed and hesitated, stepping back under the doctor's livid glare.

"I didn't strike you when you insulted her last time," He hissed in reply, catching Lucio off-guard. "But if you use that tone while referring to her again, I will do something drastic, whether that be dragging you by the ear to the closest guard, or wrapping my fingers around your throat myself. Understand?" There was a tense moment before Lucio, red-faced and timid, nodded softly, understanding the thin ice he was tripping across was beginning to crack. "I'm sorry." "You clearly haven't changed." His eyes darted up and gazed at Julian in surprise. "B-but I apologised!" He squeaked, like a small animal, Julian thought. "You never meant your apologies, Lucio. They were just words. Words that normal people said when they felt remorse. But you never did. Everything you said was correct, everything you said was valid, everything you said was gospel. And anyone who disagreed would disappear." There was a pause, and Julian was worried that the Count was planning the best way to slit his throat and get out before anyone noticed and could stop him. He lifted a hand to his neck just in case and was horrified to hear ugly, wet sniffles pouring out from Lucio's mound of fur.

"Shouldn't matter if I'm married or not." He added finally, hatred spilling from his lips like poison. "I'm not interested. And I'm taken. She doesn't just want me for sex. She actually cares about me." Lucio straightened at that. "I care- _cared_ about you." Julian raised an eyebrow and snorted. "If you cared about me you wouldn't have force-fed me a deadly disease just to save your own ass." Lucio had the shame to flush at that. "I-I was scared -" "Oh no! You were scared? The poor Count was lying in his plush bed with servants by his side, afraid because his army of doctors weren't coming up with a cure fast enough?" The mocking tone disappeared as Julian's voice dropped viciously low. "While people were dying in the streets, untouched by family members, picked up like the rubbish to be unceremoniously burned at the Lazaret? "You disgust me, Lucio." He spat, watching the man shrink into his layers of fur. "People weren't allowed to say goodbye to their family members, their breadwinners, and you were throwing tantrums in the palace because you weren't being healed right away. So why don't you crawl back into the hell-hole you clambered out of and let us all get on with our lives?" Julian was so satisfied with his cruel snarling that it was only when he began to turn and leave that he realised Lucio's shoulders had begun to shake and he was sobbing a low, whining sound. "Get a move on, _Count_ , I'll send the guards this way when I next see one. Nadia swore to have you executed next time she saw you." He couldn't help the final stab and was surprised to be pushed against the wall, held firmly, but not tightly by Lucio's desperate hands.

"Please-please, Jules. I-I'm so sorry. Please, don't leave me, not yet, please." His voice was so pathetic that Julian's curiosity got the better of his sense and he nodded. "Fine." Lucio looked up quickly, surprised that Julian didn't just shove him aside and call for the guards. "I'm getting a drink." Julian said, voice hard. "You have until I finish to tell me why I shouldn't turn you in or kill you." Lucio nodded eagerly and let him go, hands wringing together nervously. "All right. All right, thank you, Jules." Julian sneered and walked past him, heading straight for the door to the Rowdy Raven.

 _I hate it when I prove you right, Violet._ He could hear her voice in his head, consoling him after dragging him out of a brawl which had gone awry. _"Well of course they didn't fight fair, Jewel," She chuckled, dabbing at the blood from his split lip. "They knew you would so they could get a one-up on you. That's your problem. You're too kind."_ He sighed heavily and forced a smile to his face. _Better not let any of them know who he is. If they've got a bounty on his head, I doubt it but if they do, then he won't even be safe with me._

As he swung open the door he was met with a familiar rush of sensory overload. The patrons were loud with conversation, arguing or placing bets, singing discordantly and rocking back and forth into furniture. He could smell the salty bitters from here, and the various levels of unwashed that clung to the patrons, making his nose twitch in repressed but familia disgust as he moved through the people and tables to the bar, greeting familiar faces with a distracted smile.  
"Julian!" He turned his grin to the barman as he heard his name being shouted over the crowd. "What're you doing back here?" The man shrugged and rested against the bar, brushing his hair out of his eye. "My beloved fiancée needed to stop in Vesuvia, see her old friend before we got married."

He loved saying that. _His fiancée_

"You finally put a ring on her? Wasted enough time!" Julian laughed and shook his head humorously. "You know I could never propose to anyone," He snorted, rubbing the band comfortingly. "She knew if she waited for me to propose then we'd both be grey!" Barth guffawed and filled a drink for him. "True that, she not coming in?" He asked handing it to the red-head. "Two, please. No, she's seeing her magician friend, maybe next time," He grinned, scooping up the tankards and downing a mouthful from one. "What's that scoundrel doing back in here?" Barth said suddenly, causing Julian to twist his head to his booth, where Lucio was sitting down warily.

"Ah." He said, turning back to Barth. "He's with me, Barth. Don't worry, he's -" He paused for a moment, steeling himself before turning a fake grin to Barth. "My friend." The man didn't return his good nature and Julian's smile flinched. "Be wary of him, doctor," Barth warned. "He's been in here before. Scared away any other poor souls attempting to make friends. There's something very off-putting about him. And I've seen many a kind in my years. Not only that, but he didn't pay his tab. I tossed him onto his arse when I realised he wasn't even worth the clothes off his back. I'll let him go this time because he's with you, but make sure he behaves himself. Almost started a few fights last time." Julian nodded seriously before the smile returned to his lips. "I'll be careful. Oh, speaking of, Violet would like me to relay a message to you: you aren't allowed to let me poison myself here," He grinned and Barth howled with laughter. "I'll kick you onto your backside at midnight, then! Hopefully you'll only be half pickled!" Julian laughed in response, taking his drink and moving over to his booth.

 _I don't like sitting like this._ He thought as he slid into the chair. _I feel better with my back to the wall._

"Here, that's all you get, though, Barth isn't too happy with you." He said roughly, pushing the second drink towards Lucio. "You're in my usual seat." He added stonily and looked at the creature, who glanced at him through long, dirty strands of hair. "Your usual seat?" They rumbled. "Sorry, I feel better with my back to the wall." Julian scowled at the idea that they share that mentality and took a swig of his drink, cringing instinctively at the taste of the awful salty bitters.

 _Why do I drink these? They're awful._ He lifted the cup absentmindedly and drank some more, shrugging as the taste hit his tongue in a less offensive way. _Oh well, they get better with time._

"It's been a while," Lucio said suddenly, catching Julian by surprise. "Since we last saw each other." Julian's eye flicked back and forth, studying the brute in front of him as he struggled to figure out the creature's purpose. "You were banished to the realms," He breathed and the hand in the disgraced Count's hair tightened. "Nadia vowed to have you locked away, or executed if you ever returned to Vesuvia." The hand fell below the pile of furs once again and Julian saw the playful lips turn down into a scowl. "What are you doing here, Lucio?" He snarled cruelly as his hand reached for the drink in front of him and tilted it back and forth. "Please, please, Julian," His hand reached out hopelessly to the doctor, fingers trembling as they hung in the air, too afraid to actually touch the man. "Please, don't-I'm sorry, please just let me explain, please." His voice cracked so pathetically that Julian couldn't bear the idea of walking away now, even though it would have been so, damn, satisfying.

_"You're too kind."_

"Well? Tell me, then." He paused for a moment and saw the man's dirty head lifting to gaze at him, flushed from crying under the dirt, eyes wet and red, pleading with him to name the price, whatever it may be, for Julian's forgiveness. He only needed one ally. And Julian was the most likely one to not run the moment he saw Lucio. "Tell me what happened. How you went from the great Count Lucio," The man flinched at the phrase and swallowed. "Who we met with at the Devil's gates, to the miserable wretch that's currently sitting across from me." He couldn't help the urge to drag Lucio down further, and saw the pain in his eyes as he fought to suppress his sobs long enough to explain it to him.

"I-I was left to wander the realms, as you know. There was nothing, no one, I couldn't trust what little food was available, I doubted the likelihood of awakening in the morning, everything around me is either predator or prey." He whimpered weakly, scratching his dirty hair and covering his mouth. "Like those stories of some of my gladiators, brought up by animals and became one. When I first escaped, I-I just-I became nothing more than a fucking animal. I doubted it was even real at first. The realms play tricks with your mind. They make you hallucinate," He paused, shuddering violently, pausing as Julian waved at Barth who brought them two more drinks, eyeing Lucio suspiciously. "People who aren't there, things that don't exist. I nearly ate a rock because I thought it was a loaf of bread. The water was either dirty and full of vicious creatures ready to attack you, or made you so sick you thought you were dying of the plague again. But this time I didn't have my army of doctors or my fluffy bed. I didn't even have someone to console me as I lay dying, or thought I was, anyway. And I was there for years. I don't know how long I was there, time moves differently in the realms, I know it was long, years. So many years, my hair was grey and my skin was wrinkled when I came back. I don't know how long it's been here, but you still look as young as you were when I...I left," He stopped and looked down into the table, rubbing his face aggressively, Julian paused, having lifted Lucio's second drink to his lips and studied Lucio while his attention was turned to the wood grain in the table. He looked haggard, and while he didn't look much older than he was when he 'died', he had the air of someone who was exhausted, someone who had lived a long and hard life and was now, just waiting to die. "You don't look old." He said simply and Lucio shook his head weakly. "Maybe the one mercy I've ever been granted by that awful place," He whispered, looking at his hand intently. "I came back, and suddenly I felt years younger, I saw my reflection and realised I looked almost like my old self again." Julian disagreed completely with that sentiment. The old Lucio wouldn't be caught dead looking so disgusting.

"This is all a bit fantastic," He said cautiously, gauging Lucio's reaction, it was unsurprised. "I know," He whispered. "Look, Julian, I know you have no reason to trust me, or to believe me, or to even want to help me, but please, please. I'll beg if you want me to, on my knees and everything. I can't stand being on my own anymore. I'd rather hurl myself into an aqueduct than have to be on my own again. My only hope was waiting here for you. And praying that you would be a better man than I ever was." This was the most authentic apology Julian had ever heard, the pleading tone in Lucio's voice was impossible to ignore. "What are you suggesting, Lucio?" He asked, finishing his third drink. "I can't take you with me, Violet and I live on the sea, an unforgiving, nomadic lifestyle. And last time the two of you were together, it didn't end too well." Julian watched as the sad creature before him shook their head, reaching desperately across the table for seemingly nothing. "No, no! I could live like that! I've slept on the ground for so long, even a blanket would be more than enough! I hadn't eaten proper food since I came back! I can be of use! You can do what you wish with me!" It was pathetic, listening to him desperately grasp at the one straw that was held to him. "And-and...I could...I...there must be something I can do to prove myself to yo-to Vi-your fiancée! Anything, I mean it! Anything as degrading, or humiliating, or mundane as you can think of! I'll pay for your kindness! Please, Julian!" The doctor paused, looking down at Lucio sadly.

 _Oh how the might have fallen. And crashed into the ground. And kept falling._ He was nothing like the proud, arrogant man Nadia had banished, he was no more regal than a puddle of slimy water.

"Gods, Jules, please, please I swear, I'm trying so hard! I don't want to go back! I don't want to have to be alone again! I'd rather Nadia lock me up or kill me that that! Please! Dammit, please Jules, I'm begging you. I am sorry! I just-I haven't had a full conversation with anyone in so, so damn long!" Julian watched the man tremble and resisted the urge to reach out. "I...please...please Jules-Julian! I don't...tell me what I can do to earn your forgiveness!" Julian's hand slid up from his neck and touched the eyepatch. He could never not wear this. It was a part of him when he came to any civilisations. Which was Lucio's fault. But he had never heard Lucio cry, _sob_ , completely fall apart into pieces like this. Begging was never a part of Lucio's acts. He was always too proud, no matter what it was that he wanted.

"The best I can offer you is a chance," He whispered finally, flinching under the way Lucio's eyes lit up. "Violet will talk to you, she'll decide ultimately what we'll do." The man nodded eagerly and stood up, impatient to finally be making progress. "Just, please remember to behave. She isn't as patient as I am. You upset her then that's the end." Julian added, sighing as he pulled himself to his feet. "She's stronger than I am." Lucio was so desperate to move on that he didn't react to the way Julian acknowledged his weakness with dealing with people.

"How is it, Julian?" A couple of large dockworkers came over, ready to collect greet their friend, they paused when they recognised Lucio. "How about you?" They turned to face Lucio with an unwelcoming gaze, there was silence for a moment and Julian turned his attention, catching the look of fear in Lucio's face. "Well? You paid since last time?" Lucio swallowed and Julian's heart dropped as he realised what was about to happen. "Listen, if you came back in here and drank even more without any intentions of paying then we're going to have a big problem." One of the men growled low and Julian prepared his words to fix the situation. "They were shit drinks anyway," Lucio spat and flashed forward, golden arm pushing against their chests and shoving them backwards, talons digging into the skin and ripping it open as he dove past. It was enough of a shock for the men to not stop him, but a few others had seen what was going on, curious of what the stranger's relationship to Julian was, and recognising the stranger who caused a scene before. They saw what Lucio had done and prepared themselves. They were ready to protect their bar and its patrons.

Lucio found himself at a wall of angry customers and hesitated, eyes flashing wildly. "Get away from me! Don't touch me!" Julian was startled to hear how animalistic Lucio's cries were and went to approach him. The man lashed out with his arm, slicing open a man's forearm, and used the surprise at his ready use of violence to push through, cutting through fewer people as they realised how deranged he was. The door to the raven slammed shut and a dead silence fell over the bar.  
"Adam, I'm so sorry, let me treat that," Julian said, turning to the man and reached for his chest.  
 _  
This is going to be harder than I thought._


	2. The Art of Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian finds Lucio again, and after a bit of uncomfortable conversation, agrees to take him to see Violet and Asra. Asra isn't too happy to see Lucio again.

_What a beautiful evening._

_With a beautiful view._

_With a beautiful fiancée._

_"What's with the wistful gaze?" He turned and smiled as he saw his lover approaching._

_"You know me, my darling," He sighed, holding out an arm so she could run it along her shoulders and cuddle into his side. "I'm just obsessively dramatic." He felt her chest rumble as she chuckled and turned his head down to look at her.  
"You very rarely admit that," She said, resting her head against his chest and holding his hand gently.  
"It's nice to know we're back in Vesuvius." He said gently, acknowledging the heavy weight in his stomach. "There are so many conflicting emotions I feel when I see the city. And I wouldn't trade the dread I feel for anything, because beside the dread is the delight I feel every time I remember that this was where I met you. And where you saved my life countless times." He chuckled gently and kissed the top of her head. "Most importantly," He paused, studying her scalp as she watched the approaching wharf. "You saved me from myself." She smiled and looked up at him. _

_"Gods know you've always been your own worst enemy." She said and puckered her lips for him to kiss. "But, at least you've stopped wondering why I love you every five seconds." He paused as he leant down to meet her lips with his. "Oh, no don't give me that face," She sighed gently, lifting a hand to stroke his jaw. "I **do** love you, my Jewel." She leaned up and kissed him softly, relishing in the needy little whine that vibrated in his throat._

_"I-I know, I'm sorry," He muttered bashfully as his cheeks flushed bright red. "Don't be sorry, my love. Just remember every time you question my feelings for you, that I have risked life and limb to clear your name and keep you safe. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He flushed deeper red and nodded.  
"I do too, I love you, Violet." He sighed against her lips. "Well, you're marrying me, aren't you?" She grinned and he chuckled, kissing her again._

_"Oi! Ilya!" The pair turned as Portia's wild curls bounced towards them. "Mazelinka wants to know if you can get some things from her place while we're here," She said, stopping before the pair. "She doesn't want to leave the boat because she doesn't trust any of us lower shipmen to keep an eye on the ship." Violet paused before nodding softly. "Fair." Portia turned a disapproving gaze to her and Julian chuckled. "You don't trust us with the ship?" She asked and Violet smiled cautiously. "Well, not on your own, if I'm going to be checking up with Asra, and Julian's going to be getting drunk at the Rowdy Raven, Mazelinka's the only one who can handle any emergencies." Portia remained unimpressed and the pair shrunk under her gaze._

_"Look at it this way, now you can enjoy roaming around Vesuvia, and you don't have to stay onboard for the next week." Violet said and Portia's look softened as she considered the idea. "You would really miss roaming the markets, wouldn't you, Pasha?" She looks up at her brother and sighed dejectedly. "Fine." She grumbled and rested her hands on her hips. "But I am a capable sailor." She added and Violet nodded. "Of course, Portia, but it's just in case." Portia seemed satisfied and turned her face back to Julian. "Mazelinka. Her place. Five minutes." She said and turned. "Yes mother!" He grinned and they heard her groan as she walked away._

_"I suppose if you are going to catch up with Asra we won't see each other until tomorrow." Julian sighed, looking at Violet. "We really aren't doing anything, Julian," She groaned and kissed his knuckles. "Asra and I have always been really close." He avoided her gaze sheepishly and she lifted a hand to cup his cheek. "Julian -" "I know, my love," He said gently and rested a hand over hers. "I just, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get over everything, all of our histories and such." She smiled softly and kissed his cheek. "I know. I know it's odd. But it's been so long since we were together, I mean, I died," She tried laughing but realised Julian wasn't in a humorous mood. "I'm sorry. It's been so long, I only see him as a teacher. I'm with you, I'm marrying you, I am giving my life, Julian. If you don't want me to see him, I won't, but even if I do, I won't suddenly fall out of love with you." He smiled gently and kissed her. "I would never ask you to do that, my love," He said gently, curling into her embrace. "I know I have nothing to worry about, but it's hard to convince myself sometimes. I mean, I'm a bit of a carriage-wreck, and he's so well put-together and talented and handsome and sure of himself. It wouldn't be hard for him to sweep you off your feet." She raised an eyebrow and shook her head softly._

_"There is something that could stop him," She said and he looked up. "My relationship with you." He blushed again and she began laughing. "I'm sorry. I keep doing this." He sighed and she kissed him. "Maybe one day you'll learn." She smiled. "If you want to come to the shop Asra would be happy to see you. Otherwise, I'll be there for a while, I want to get some things for our next voyage." He nodded gently and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Violet, tell Asra I say hello." She grinned and placed her hands on his hips. "Tell Barth that he isn't allowed to let you poison yourself," She chuckled, stepping back as the ship docked in the port. "I don't want to have a cadaver beside me at my wedding." He laughed and kissed her cheek. "I promised you when you proposed," He said softly, brushing her cheek. "I wouldn't do anything to have me taken away from you again." It was her turn to blush and she smiled at the memory._

_"Enjoy the Raven."  
"I'll see you later, my love."_

~~~~~

That was much easier times. Sure it was only mere hours ago, but somehow his beautiful life was just turned upside-down in the matter of the hour he and Lucio were talking. It took him another two before he had made sure everyone attacked by the man was all right and had counted out the amount that had been owed by him, and payed for it. A remarkable amount, it turned out. Violet wouldn't be pleased.

_You aren't making a good first impression, Lucio._

He had probably made tracks, and Julian had lost him. He didn't quite know if the idea was comforting or not. He certainly wasn't pleased with the idea of that volatile animal being loose on the Vesuvian streets, but at least he wasn't Julian's problem.  
When he stumbled into an alley, however, all hope was dashed from his mind. The soft mewling could have been an animal, but animals don't sob, and animals don't have alchemic golden arms that strike the cobblestones with clashing sounds and bright sparks. Despite the warnings, the voices shouting in his head that he could turn and run, and Lucio wouldn't be able to find him again, Julian still found himself approaching the creature. Still with the intent of bringing him to Violet.

"Lucio."

The figure whipped around from its place on the ground, tucked behind some empty barrels waiting to be refilled, eyes wild and struck with fear. Julian waited, hands hovering by his side in an attempt to calm the creature who was staring at him like a deer in the cross-sight. Something was wrong with the image before him. It wasn't the hair, mussed from anxious hands raking through it, or the eyes, bloodshot from crying and lack of sleep, or the way he perched, like an antsy bird, ready to fly at a moment's hesitation. No. This was something disturbing that wasn't there before when Julian sat down.

 _The blood._ Julian realised with horror. _He's covered in blood._

He took a step closer and saw the way Lucio flinched, afraid that Julian was going to grab him by the throat and drag him back inside to pay for his actions. "Ple-please Jules, I'm so sorry...it-it was a mistake, please..." He gasped weakly but Julian's eyes were still trained on the golden prosthetic that was tainted with red.

_There shouldn't be that much, most of the scratches were superficial. He shouldn't be covered in blood like that._

"Please, Julian, look, I already punished myself for it!" Realisation dawned on Julian's face as Lucio opened his arm and presented the vicious tears in his chest. "I-I don't have any money, I'm so sorry, Jules but, but I was so tired! I just wanted somewhere to rest for a while! I-I've paid for the damage I've done! I can pay for the drinks this way too!" "No!" Julian lurched forward as the golden claws hovered delicately over the already shredded skin, stopping him with a rough hand around the golden wrist and a sturdy shove onto his back. Lucio lashed out at the violent movement, luckily unable to rip at Julian's skin due to the strong grip on his weapon, but managed a hefty kick to Julian's stomach, forcing the man onto his back in the middle of the alley, gasping for air.

"Oh my gods, Jules, I'm so sorry!" Lucio's matted form appeared in Julian's eye line as he huffed desperately, lungs being crushed unexpectedly hard. "What have I done? I've done it again! I-I can't-Julian I'm so sorry!" As Julian pulled himself into a sitting position he felt the disgraced Count curled up beside him, sobbing heavily. "Lucio," He groaned weakly and the dirty mop looked up, looking at him with bleary eyes, blood from his prosthetic transferred to his face. "Just...take a deep breath." He panted as his hand rested on Lucio's shoulder, feeling the muscle tense under his touch. After a moment Lucio nodded, weakly puffing into the night air. "It's all right, Lucio," Julian wheezed gently, hand rubbing small circles in the man's shoulder. "Just take a deep breath, stop overreacting." Lucio resisted the urge to snap at Julian and just melted into the comforting touch. "Thank you, Julian," He whispered weakly, leaning towards the man. "I-I don't deserve your kindness." Julian sighed softly, tightening his grip gently as the pain thrummed out of his diaphragm. "Maybe not. But you have it now," Lucio nodded timidly and hesitantly inched forward, Julian tensed as the man shuffled against him, head resting heavily on Julian's chest. "I'll-I'll pay you back, somehow, I will, anything you want, anything at all." Julian blew a solemn breath out of his nose and watched as it fluttered against Lucio's dirty hair.

A crash at the mouth of the alley caused the pair to jump, Lucio tried to dart away but Julian's hand on his shoulder kept him there firmly, the doctor looked over his shoulder and saw the stray cat hissing at them, all panic in his chest disappearing as quickly as it arrived. But it did remind him that he was consoling a known criminal of Vesuvia in the middle of a street. "Come on," He said gently, pulling Lucio's focus from looking for an escape route. "If we're lucky we'll make it to the shop before dawn." Lucio nodded eagerly and stood with him, pausing as the doctor's gloved fingers brushed the wound on his chest. "Hopefully you stop bleeding soon," He sighed gently. "Otherwise you may need some serious attention." Lucio blushed as he heard the tone in Julian's voice, it was so caring, so concerned. He was always like this. Even with a man he said he should have killed.

"Here, take my hand." Julian saw the way Lucio shifted on the balls of his feet and wanted a way to keep the creature close, just in case it tried to run before he could get Violet and Asra to help him. "Did you mean what you said before?" He turned and saw Lucio staring intently at the way his fingers were enlaced with Julian's. "When you said we never had any good times together? I thought that maybe you were the only person I really liked." Julian began walking and remained silent, pulling Lucio with him. "Please, Jules, you can't be serious." The man's grey eye turned to glare at Lucio, unwilling to give in to the pleading tone in his voice.

_You're too kind._

"Not entirely." He sighed finally, turning to look back at the street, threading their way through the back-alleys and hidden passages, avoiding any peering eyes or patrolling guards. "You were definitely an asshole. You were definitely a vain prick. You definitely made my life immeasurably harder." He paused and turned to see Lucio hunched over beside him, focusing on his tattered shoes. "But, I-I suppose sometimes, sometimes you could be quite nice company." Lucio's head lifted softly before his shoulders began shaking again.

"I-you don't have to lie to me, Jules, I know that no one missed me. I know that no one cared about me, I-I was just a burden on everyone. Even the Courtiers only remained loyal because I offered them power in exchange for their help." His voice was so disgustingly weak that Julian couldn't help the sneer slip across his mouth. It sounded so wretched that Julian didn't know if it was genuine, or if he was just being used by the man. "I just...it had been so long, I thought, I figured there had to be something about me, or someone out there, who could think of something, _anything_ , about me that was good. Someone who missed my presence. If only in fleeting moments." Julian's hand tightened gently and stroked his thumb along the dirty and rough skin. "Sometimes. When you were in a particularly good mood, or felt a certain way, sometimes you could feel genuine, genuinely compassionate. Sometimes being with you could be delightful." He sighed as he felt Lucio's hand tightening around his. "The problem was, it never lasted. You thought about other people when it suited you, the rest of the time it was always about you. Your pleasure, your comfort, your desires. There were good things about you, Lucio, but the bad things far exceeded the good."

Julian flinched softly as the shop's distinctive door came into view and his stomach began rolling uncomfortably. "I want to be good, Jules, I do. I-I don't know how, but I really want to. I'll do anything. Anything, please." Lucio's other hand wrapped around Julian's arm and he paused. "We'll see, all right? I just need to talk to Violet first." He said as he mounted the first step, placing his hand on the door and feeling the familiar magic of his fiancée protecting it.

"Can you do magic now?" Lucio's voice was soft and timid, Julian shook his head, reaching for the handle once the sigil over the door glowed white and faded with a soft click. "I told Violet I might come by after I went to the Raven, she's left the spell on the door with an exception for me." He explained, slipping inside and closing the door behind Lucio. "There's a spell on my engagement ring, identifies me to her magic so it allows me to break protection spells and avoid harm at its reactions." Lucio nodded uncertainly, heart dropping slightly when Julian reminded him of his relationship status. "Stay quiet, they'll be in bed." He breathed to the count who nodded eagerly. Usually when Julian had stood beside Lucio he came only a head taller, now, the man was hunched around his grip on Julian's arm, tucked into his waist.

He followed half a step behind as Julian climbed the steps, avoiding the creaky ones, Lucio didn't manage that subtlety, but Julian wasn't going to hold that against him. It took a long time to remember which steps were weakened, and even now he sometimes forgot. He stepped onto the landing, seeing the two doors before him, one ahead that led into the main area of Asra's home, the other to his right led to a small toilet, for use during the day or for customers, Asra had his own bathroom but he didn't like having to go into his apartment to get to it. Julian opened the door soundlessly, stepping inside, shifting so Lucio can maintain the hold on his arm as they enter the living space. Lucio's nose tilted up to sniff at the pleasant waft of incense, burning on the open windowsill, his eyes shifting back and forth, studying every angle of the room, wary for any surprise attackers or traps.

Julian's face softened as his eyes fell on the bed in the corner of the room, a soft oak wood bedhead, like most things here, Muriel probably made it for him, the blankets were the purples, yellows and pinks that Asra liked, the sheets crisp and white. In the bed he saw the tanned figure of Asra, sleeping by the wall, face buried into a pillow, beside him lay his Violet, her dark curls tied back messily, as though an afterthought, hand resting beside her ear on the pillow, other draped over the arm Asra had rested across her waist. They looked so comfortable that Julian didn't want to wake them.

"Let's sit on the couch -"  
"Is that -" Lucio's voice cut off in a squeak as Violet groaned gently, eyes opening and landing on Julian, oblivious to the ex-count who was hiding behind the doctor.

"Julian," She croaked in a voice thick with sleep. "We stayed up, I thought you would have passed out on a table by now," She chuckled softly as she sat up, hands reaching for her eyes to wipe the sleep from them as she yawned. Julian felt Lucio's hands tighten as he noticed the black marks on her hands, sigils and spells tattooed into her skin as a proud decree of how power.

 _"To keep you safe."_ She would tell him. _"Most ragamuffins would avoid you if you were with a magician as powerful as I am."_ Everything she did seemed to be for him.

He paused for a moment to smile at her, so loving that only Lucio's hold on his arms stopped him from swooping forward and kissing her. "I'm glad you did end up coming," She finished, lowering her hands to smile sleepily at him. "Come, join us, I'm sure there's room." Asra's purple eyes fluttered open at last and he found the focus of his apprentice's gaze. "Ilya! I was worried I wouldn't get to see you!" He smiled and shifted over slightly. "Come -" He stopped as he noticed the figure behind him, far less trusting than Violet was.

"Who is that?" Asra's voice lowered dangerously and Violet finally recognised the unfamiliar shape behind the doctor. "I need you both to stay calm," He said gently, lifting a hand to subdue them before Lucio became frightened and ran, then Violet's eyes drifted to his linen shirt and her eyes narrowed. "What's happened to you?" She asked, sliding out of the bed without hesitation. "My love, please just stop for a moment," Her eyes were drifting over what little of the form was visible and she turned her gaze to him again. "There's blood on your shirt." Julian's head whipped downwards and he swore as he saw the speckles and patches of blood, from the patrons of the Raven, or from Lucio, he wasn't certain, maybe both, but that wasn't the most important question to answer at the moment. "Shit." "Julian, step aside. Now." Violet's hands were raising now, warily, in case he was being used as a human shield, she was preparing to fight whoever was hiding. "Violet just stay calm, all right?" She nodded softly, narrow eyes almost promising to break that vow.

Julian stepped aside and after a moment her hand snatched at the air and Lucio began clawing at his neck desperately, his eyes darting back and forth like a trapped animal trying to find a break in the snare as he was lifted a foot off the ground.

"Violet, please!"  
"What are you doing with that monster?"  
"Just let him explain!"  
"You brought him into _my_ home?"  
"Don't hurt him, please!"  
"What kind of spell has he put on you?"  
Julian and Asra kept talking, not hearing the other's words and not caring, Julian endearing to Violet, Asra reprimanding Julian, Violet just staring quizzically at Lucio, whose hands were scrabbling across his skin, golden fingers tightening around his trachea. It was too loud for nothing to have been said.

" _Silence!_ "

Both men pause in their frantic torrents of speech and look at her expectantly. "Julian, I trust that you knew who this was when you brought them here, you have one chance to explain." She said softly, Julian could hear her disapproval in her voice and swallowed. "Can you at least loosen your hold on him?" He asked and Violet shook her head. "Not yet. He can still breathe, I can feel it. Hurry up."

"He told me that he spent years in the Realms, barely surviving off the unforgiving land, and now that he's managed to claw his-sorry that's a bad word, now that he's managed to escape he want to do anything to earn our forgiveness, he wants to be a good person. I believe him, Violet, please just talk to him." Julian could hear how naïve he sounded, how clueless, but there was a way for them to check what he was saying. "He doesn't look that much older." Asra spat, scowling at the man, whose face was turning red, and spluttering for air was the only sound in the room as Violet paused. "Doesn't he _feel_ older to you, Asra?" Julian asked and the man paused, frowning in annoyance as he closed his eyes. "I suppose so," "And isn't it true that things work differently in the Realms?" Julian asked. "Isn't it possible that he has lived decades in there but once he tried to come back something like this happened? What are the side-effects for extended exposure to the Realms?" Asra's cheeks flushed, whether from embarrassment or anger it was unclear. "I suppose so," He sighed finally and Violet rubbed her head tiredly. "All right. I'm going to let him go. What was your aim by bringing here, Julian?" He flinched slightly and rubbed his hands together uncomfortably. "I-maybe he should tell you," He muttered and she scowled, groaning gently and looking back at the writhing form of the ex-Count.

"Lucio. Lucio!" When she raised her voice he seemed to pause in his struggling, looking at her nervously. "I'm going to put you down. If you try and run, or hurt anyone, I'll grab you again, but this time I'll squeeze harder." Her fist tightened and he choked desperately, face turning blue. "Violet!" Julian was afraid of the potential damage that restricting Lucio's airflow could do, and seeing the panic on his face she conceded, loosening her hand again. "Do you understand?" There was a pause before Lucio managed to nod twice. He sank to the floor and Julian reached out, seeing how his legs were trembling, Violet almost released her hand, ensuring only the slightest of pressures remained on his neck before moving closer.

"Julian, you're bleeding,"

He turned his head and saw the shallow grooves in his shoulder-blade. "Y-you must have swung out when Violet first grabbed you." He said nervously to Lucio, who looked at him in alarm. "I-I-I didn't mean to!" He exclaimed and went to lean forward, catching himself when the pressure held himself still and looked at Violet. "I didn't mean to hurt him! I do-don't want to hurt people anymore!" His face crumpled as tears spilled over his cheeks and Violet was so surprised that the spell fell. "You never meant to hurt people. Just like you never meant to hurt my parents?" Asra hissed and Lucio turned his gaze to him. "Oh, your-Salim and A-Aisha, right? They built my arm, didn't they?" Lucio's soft voice didn't do anything for Asra's temper, if anything it only enflamed it. "Look at that! You remember! Yes, they built your arm, then you had them thrown in the dungeons! Where the Devil could kidnap them!" "Asra -" "Shut it, Julian! Of course you would defend him! You two were _so close_ to each other, weren't you?" Asra's voice reached a pitch high enough to startle some faraway dog into barking, and he finally paused as he realised the words that had left his mouth were far more grating than he intended to let them be.

"I-I'm so sorry, I would take it back if I could. I kn-know I can't, but if I could -" "Asra," Violet's voice was steady and firm as she turned to look at him, face remaining hard and stiff. All affection the two had shared when Julian entered had gone. "You're talking about my fiancée, and your ex-partner. Be mad all you like. But remember that Julian isn't the one who locked up Salim and Aisha. And that they already forgave Lucio for that." Lucio's eyes snapped up to look at Violet, who was still staring sternly at Asra, and flicked them to Julian, who was watching the exchange uncomfortably. "Wh-why would they do that?" He squeaked and Julian turned his head, making eye-contact with him, a startlingly comforting action. "Because they realised that you were just an arrogant idiot who didn't consider the consequences of your actions before you did anything!" Violet granted a brief glance to the weak man, who was cradling his golden arm against his scabbing chest, desperate to avoid accidentally lashing out again. He had done enough to turn these people against him already. "That's true I suppose," He murmured and Julian stepped back, reaching for him nervously.

"Violet, he only wants to help him because they were together!" Asra snapped and Violet's eyes narrowed again. "Well shoot, if only I considered that!" She hissed in reply. "Don't patronise me, Asra. You aren't my master anymore." The man's purple eyes finally softened and he swallowed nervously, realising that he only got to see her again because she considered him a friend, and if he wasn't careful, that would end. "I-I'm sorry, Violet," He whispered and turned his gaze to Julian. "And-and I'm sorry, Julian." He added, looking down embarrassed as Violet lowered her hands. "All right." She sighed. "I get that you hate him, but you know Julian can't help himself." She muttered low to Asra, but Julian still heard.

"Hey!"

"My love, you are a stray puppy looking for other stray puppies to help." Violet smiled to him and he paused, groaning as he realised he couldn't really argue. "I don't like it when you compare the feared and disgraced Count Lucio to a stray puppy." Asra muttered and Violet couldn't help but snort softly. "Julian, what does he want?" She asked, looking at her fiancée curiously. "He..." Julian paused and sighed. "Lucio, maybe you should explain. Because I don't even really understand." Lucio's face dropped as he realised he had to ask. It was pathetic. It was ludicrous. It was impossible. He couldn't ask them for help after what Asra said! Not while all of his selfish sins were fresh in their mind! "I-I..." He swallowed thickly and felt his chest shudder. "Please, I-anything! I-I can't stay in Vesuvia, but I can't think of anywhere else to go! I-I thought that if I could just...prove...that I want to be better, that I want to be good, maybe you could...maybe you would be willing to-to let me stay..." His voice fell to a murmur, but it was loud enough for Violet to hear, Asra scoffed and she flashed a look at Julian. "He tried to kill me." She said simply to Julian. "I-believe me, I know. But you said it yourself, he was just an arrogant idiot who didn't understand consequences. It's been years since we last saw him, and an eternity to him, isn't he worth at least a chance?" Violet could feel the tone in his words, trying to turn her words back on her when they first met.

_Anyone can come back._

"Don't do this to me, Julian," She sighed and he grinned hopefully. "The crimes he's committed haven't just gone away," She said and Asra nodded. "The flooded district has only just begun to stabilise." He said and she indicated her head to him. "But those crimes were committed out of ignorance, not malice." Julian argued, biting his lip when he saw the pair falter. "He's in no position of power, he has no influence, if anyone recognised him he would be carted away in chains. He's making an effort to improve himself, so doesn't he deserve the chance to prove it?" Violet groaned and shook her head. "I hate it when you formulate your arguments." She grumbled and he grinned. "We'll take him out of Vesuvia. That's it. I don't trust him enough to allow him to stay. When we stop at the Great Gate then he'll get off and leave us be."

Lucio's heart sank as he realised that he wouldn't be able to stay with Julian. He had spent a week outside that tavern, waiting for Julian to come back, even after he had been thrown to the streets he sat and waited. He could stay with Julian. Julian would keep him safe. His fiancée, on the other hand, wouldn't.

"There, thank you." Julian's breath was so relieved Lucio's stomach lurched again. _He wants to get rid of me._ He thought sadly and jumped when he felt a hand on his arm. "You got what you wanted now, haven't you, Lucio?" Julian wanted something. He was looking at Lucio earnestly, waiting for whatever it was that he wanted. "Thank you!" He exclaimed as it clicked in his mind what they were expecting. "Thank you so much, you won't regret it." He promised and Violet glanced at Asra. "Can he use your bathroom?" She asked and the magician scowled softly. "All right, he looks like shit." Lucio bit his lip to stop himself from snapping back and looked at his feet. "Come on, I'll run you a bath." Julian said encouragingly, leading him down the narrow hall to the small room.


	3. Clearing The Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asra and Violet try to process the sudden arrival of the disgraced ex-Count of Vesuvia while Julian helps him clean up a bit. Lucio shouldn't be left alone for long, though.

"Violet, I love Julian, but he's an idiot."

Violet couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips and she shrugged gently. "I know. He's a stray puppy and I'm the soft-hearted idiot who took him in." She crossed her arms over her stomach and let her gaze fall to the floor, contemplating the hectic few minutes that had just occurred. "You aren't the least bit concerned that Lucio's back?" Asra asked, catching her attention. "I should have leant out the window and called for the guards." He grumbled. "And had Julian and I arrested with him?" She asked and he paused, frowning sadly. "You know I care about you, Violet," He said softly, pinching her chin in his fingers and tilting her gaze to his. "I just don't want you to be hurt. Whether that be Lucio's inevitable betrayal, or because Julian can't help himself, or anything like that." He breathed, moving so that the gap between them became mere inches.

"You can't do this anymore, Asra." She said softly, taking his hand from her chin and holding it gently. "It upsets Julian." Asra's eyes narrowed slightly and he turned his gaze to the hall which the redhead had gone down with the ex-Count. "Oh? Is he why you didn't greet me?" Asra couldn't hide the anger as the memory of being pushed away by Violet when she arrived sprang back to his mind. "You're asking me if I didn't kiss you when I came in because of my fiancée? Do you hear how ridiculous that is?" She asked and he paused. "We've always been intimate. I'm always intimate. That's how my parents and I greet each other." He muttered dejectedly. "I know. But you know how self-conscious Julian is. He would never ask me to stop seeing you, but I see how much it worries him when we're together." Violet paused and smiled at him softly. "He's jealous of you." She whispered and grinned as Asra's eyes lit up. "What? Why?" She chuckled softly, as to not alert her fiancé and shrugged. "He has this idea that you'll try and steal me away." Asra's hair bounced as he shook his head and stepped back. "I wouldn't do that. I respect your decision." He said and she chuckled. "I know, but you know how dramatically pessimistic Julian is. He can't help but worry about everything." Asra nodded sombrely and released her hand. "I suppose that makes sense, I'm sorry." He said and shook his head again. "It's just...been one hell of a morning." She snorted and nodded eagerly. "Absolutely." He brightened slightly and glanced behind him to the kitchenette.

"I'll make some tea," He suggested and she nodded. "Yes, please." She sat down on the armchair closest to her and buried her head in her hands, letting out a heavy sigh. "Asra?" The pair turned and saw Julian at the mouth of the hallway, right glove hanging in his left hand. 

_Oh no._ Violet thought. _How much has he heard?_

His face remained pleasant and curious, however and Violet looked to the magician, who was twisting in place to look over his shoulder. "Yes, Ilya?" He asked and Julian flushed slightly. "Would you mind horribly if we used your soaps?" He asked anxiously. "Lucio doesn't seem to have washed properly in...well years." Violet saw how uncomfortable he was asking, having already requested so much from the pair, but Asra simply nodded softly and turned back to the stove. "Of course not, Ilya," He said, measuring out his various blends of loose tea leaves. "I'm making tea, would you like some?" Julian seemed surprised and glanced at Violet before nodding. "Um, yes please," He muttered and looked back down the hall. "I'll be a few minutes," He added and waited for confirmation from Asra and Violet before returning to Lucio.

"He missed being your friend," Violet whispered, barely loud enough for Asra to hear. "I appreciate you trying to maintain that friendship." He shrugged gently and turned around, waiting for the water to boil over the heat. "You look stressed already," He chuckled, seeing the way her face was set, she snorted softly and rolled her eyes. "I'm always stressed." She joked, pausing as Asra's smile tightened and he made his way over to her, perching on the couch and settling a pillow behind him. "You shouldn't be." He said softly and reaching out to her. "What are you stressed about? Besides Lucio," She shrugged gently and let him take her hand. 

"I don't know. Julian, I suppose that isn't surprising. I just want him to be happy." She sighed and felt him rub calming circles into her skin. "He is. Trust me. If all the stars in the sky blinked out he wouldn't even care. You are his happiness, just like he is yours." She blushed softly and smiled at him. "Thank you, Asra. I guess Julian and I are birds of a feather. I think I told him something incredibly similar just yesterday as we were docking." He chuckled and patted her hand gently before standing up. "You're both my incredibly insecure little idiots." He teased as he walked back over to the boiling water. 

"Why are you insecure?" Violet turned her head and saw Julian by the hallway, looking at her with both eyes, full of concern. "Don't worry, my love," She smiled, reaching out to him. "Nothing that isn't easily fixed." He walked over to take her hand and pressed a gentle kiss against it. "How is Lucio?" She asked, resting her other hand over his. "Slightly nervous. I don't think he trusts us to not call the guards while he's occupied." Julian's voice was tight with worry and Violet lowered her eyebrows uneasily. "You're really anxious about this, aren't you?" She asked and he nodded, falling to his knees beside her. "I assume you noticed the wounds on his chest when we first arrived?" He asked and she nodded gently. "He did that to himself. Claimed he was paying for having hurt some customers in the Raven," She hesitated and glanced up at Asra as he returned to them with a teapot in his hands. 

"Hold on, you never told us how you actually came to be with Lucio in the first place," She said looking back at him and he nodded. "Of course, well, I was on my way to the Raven and he jumped at me from an alley -" "Typical." Asra grunted. "It was strange, he began talking to me with all of his previous arrogance, patronising me and insulting you and stuff like that, but when I went to walk away he broke, all that bravado disappeared and he was pleading for me to listen." Asra sat down, hands balancing teacups and saucers for the three of them, brows knit in confusion as he listened. "I guess, there was something so...pathetic about him that I didn't call the guards or anything and said that I was going to have a drink, and he had until I finished to convince me to help him." "I thought you smelt particularly, interesting." Violet murmured, grinning at him cheekily when he raised an eyebrow at her. "He told me his story and I-I said the best I could offer him was to talk to you, then there was a bit of a situation and he turned into a wild animal, scratching at a few people before escaping into the alley and doing, that to himself," Julian indicated with his fingers pulling down his chest and Asra paused, looking at him quizzically. "Are you sure he isn't just manipulating you? Lucio was pretty good at getting what he wanted." Julian shook his head and took the teacup offered to him by the magician. "He begged. Not even in his most desperate has Lucio ever begged. He said 'anything, use me however you like, I will do _anything_ in exchange for your help'." Asra paused for a moment, considering. "I could never imagine the great Count ever begging, either." Violet commented softly and Asra sighed. "He wouldn't have. The only time I heard him beg was when we unbound him. before Nadia banished him from Vesuvia." He admitted exasperatedly and picked up his own saucer. 

"We'll have to escort him rather carefully," Violet murmured, resting her chin on her thumb and forefinger. "The crew won't be...overjoyed to see him." Julian nodded gently and rested against the arm of the chair, sipping his tea gently. "I know. I'm sorry," He sighed and she shook her head. "Don't worry," She said gently and reached to pat his auburn curls. "We'll figure it out." Julian's eyes scanned the room and he jumped when they landed on his abandoned bag. 

"I brought you a present!" He exclaimed slightly as his mood lifted. "I completely forgot." Violet and Asra watched in confusion as Julian put down his teacup and moved over to it. "A present?" She asked curiously, wondering what other surprises he had ready for her. "No, don't worry, it's a good one." He assured her and she smiled slightly as he moved back over to her, flipping open the top and throwing the bag to the ground with a shout. "Gods!" He immediately groaned and covered his face as a blush spread across his cheeks and the other two leaned over to see what had startled him. He picked up the bag and looked inside angrily. "Faust." Realisation dawned on Violet and Asra's face as a hissing giggle echoed in their heads. "Just waiting to scare me, huh? Hope I didn't hurt you." He grumbled as he reached in to where the snake was curled around the loaves of bread. 

_Fine!_

She hissed and he nodded, letting her wind up his arm and across his shoulders. "Good." He fell to the ground beside Violet's seat and presented the slightly orange loaves, all wrapped prettily in paper and twine to keep them fresh. "Ooh, my favourite!" Her eyes lit up and she reached into the bag, pulling half a loaf out. "Got hungry, did you?" She grinned and he paused for a moment. "Oh, no I gave it to a little street-rat." He said and turned his head to Asra. "Sent him your way, did he turn up?" Asra thought for a second before nodding. "That little boy who came in just before we closed. I gave him some protection and luck charms." Julian nodded contently, knowing that the boy had managed to find the shop.

A scream pierced the silence and the group turned instinctively towards the source. Towards Asra's bathroom.

~

"Just rest there, Lucio." Julian's voice was soft as he pushed the ex-Count carefully towards the toilet, hearing him sit down uncomfortably as he turned on the taps. "Thank Gods you do some things the normal way, Asra," He sighed as he pulled a glove off his hand and held it under the water. "I don't know if it will work, Jules," Lucio muttered and Julian turned, looking at the messy form. "What do you mean?" He asked, looking back at the bath. "It's my medical opinion that the best course of action is to get you cleaned up before those cuts get infected. You aren't exactly shining at the moment." Lucio's hand pawed at the furs as though they were a protective shield and winced. "No, no I mean..." He paused and let his eyes glance up at Julian, who was waiting patiently for him to finish. "Never mind." He mumbled and looked away again.

"It's been a long night," Julian puffed as he turned his attention to the vast selection of toiletries arranged on a shelf over the bath and began looking through them. "And Gods know how long since you were safe, after you're all clean and presentable you'll feel better. Remember how often you used to bathe when you were Count?" He offered as he picked up a floral soap and sniffed at it delicately. "That was because I was an arrogant prick." Julian looked over and saw Lucio wringing his hands together, claws of the left scratching raised pink lines in his other hand. "Stop that," He said gently, causing Lucio's face to lift ever-so-slightly. "You'll hurt yourself." He added as he walked over and took Lucio's hands, missing the way the man deflated. "Let me take that off." Lucio's eyes flashed and he withdrew from Julian violently.

"No!"

Julian's eyebrow raised and he held his hands up defensively. "All right. I won't. But you can't wash in it. I'll clean it separately for you." He said and Lucio shook his head again. "No." "I've seen you without your arm before, Lucio. I'm not bothered by it." Julian rested against the edge of the bath as Lucio shook his head, eyes prickling with tears. "No." His face softened slightly and he tilted his head to the side. "Can you afford me some multi-syllabled answers?" He asked and Lucio looked down at his arm, which shone dully through the dirt and grime. "I-I feel more comfortable with it on." He muttered and Julian nodded. "Okay. That's fine," Lucio looked at him slightly surprised and bit his lip harshly as his eyes welled. "Let me go ask Asra about using his various...things," Julian said, indicating to the shelf. "I'll be back in a moment." Lucio nodded gently and swallowed as he heard Julian's steady footsteps retreat down the hallway.

_I want to stay with you. Don't make me try and exist on my own. I'm not strong enough to do this anymore. I wasn't strong enough to begin with._

He cleared his throat heavily and rubbed his face anxiously. 

_I know I can't bathe with my arm. I know I need to clean it. But I don't feel comfortable without it. I need it. Otherwise you would hurt me._

_Jules wouldn't hurt me!_

_He already has..._

"Here we go!" He was snapped out of his thoughts by the doctor sweeping into the room, reaching for the shelf once again. "Take all those furs off, they can't be comfortable." Julian pulled out two bottles of cream and turned his eye to Lucio, frowning softly and pulling off his eyepatch, shoving it into his pocket before reaching for the taps. "Lucio? Are you all right?" The man looked at Julian and nodded, swallowing nervously under his gaze. "You won't get in the bath with all of your pelts, will you?" He asked and Lucio frowned. "I-no," He reached nervously for the cord and pulled it carefully, dropping half his weight in animal skins onto the tiled floor. "Oh my gods, Lucio." He was startled when Julian's hands grabbed his shoulders and resisted the urge to push him away. "What have you done to yourself?" Now that his cloak wasn't covering it, Julian could see the wound that had been inflicted on his chest, ripping open skin that had barely healed before being torn open again. "I-I needed to pay," He whispered, looking down at them. "I don't want to be bad anymore." Julian paused for a moment and Lucio saw how his face had cracked.

_Pity._ A cruel voice hissed in his mind. _The fool pities you._

He squeaked softly as he was enveloped in a tight hug, Julian's long arms wrapping entirely around his torso, pulling him into the doctor's chest. "Oh, Lucio," He whispered softly, gloved hand stroking his hair carefully. "It will be okay." Lucio's arms trembled beside him before he relaxed into Julian's embrace. "I missed you, Jules," He whispered softly, voice cracking and tight. "I lied before. I always cared for you. Even when I was dying and completely awful to be around, you didn't shirk any of your responsibilities, no matter how horrible I was." Julian nodded gently and squeezed Lucio tighter. "It's okay, Lucio. I promise. We'll work everything out." He breathed and this time Lucio nodded. "All right, thank you so much, Jules! I can't thank you enough!" As the pair pulled away Julian cupped Lucio's cheek and stroked it gently. "All you need to do is keep trying to be better. Now let's get you all washed up." Lucio nodded and pulled off his tattered shirt, a far cry from what it was when he was first banished. "I'll be just out there if you need help, all right?" Julian smiled, stepping towards the door. "There are some towels, take your time," He added and Lucio nodded, slightly disappointed that Julian wouldn't stay with him, but not willing to ask him to stay.

_He's already made it clear that he's only helping me out of sympathy. And he's already made it clear that 'Violet' is the only light in his life anymore._

As he sunk into the water a low groan slipped from his lips, pleasure such as this had become so foreign to him it was nothing but a dream. He moaned as the warmth engulfed him and closed his eyes softly. The urge to open his eyes again and begin washing himself was forgotten as his weary bones relaxed in the water, years of tension sliding off him like the dirt as he curled up in the slightly-too-small bath and let a fluttering sigh out of his nose.

~

_Beetles. Those Gods-damned beetles. The moved in a flurry of prickling limbs and hard, smooth shells, crawling over his skin, up his body, pushing him over, surrounding him in their crushing grasp. Unable to flail against the storm as they swallowed his limbs and crushed them against his body, holding him in a living, moving vice._

_The sound of their bodies clicking against each other as they scrambled over themselves in an effort to smother him faster made his ears tingle. Or maybe one of them had managed to squeeze down his ear canal and was now pushing against his eardrum with its disgusting, needle-like claws._

_He opened his eyes to get his bearings but all he saw was red, the spindly legs of the beetles stabbed his irises and he clamped them shut again, feeling their feet trapped against his eyes by his eyelids, but too afraid to risk opening them again._

_He opened his mouth to scream, cut off by the swarm climbing into his mouth. Pushing his lips away from his teeth, crawling under his tongue, filling his cheeks. They scuttled to his throat and he choked as they forced their way down his oesophagus, certain to fill him to the brim with their shiny, unyielding shells. It felt like vomiting_

_This was how he was going to die. Last time they were a hallucination but now he was out of the realms. These were real. They were going to asphyxiate him to death._


	4. The Nightmares

Lucio was thrown suddenly into the cold, hard bathroom of Asra's apartment, Julian's hands on his shoulders, pulling him half-out of the bath. He choked and coughed as he scrambled out from the vessel, feeling the water rushing over him as he crawled from the source of his horror. "Lucio-Lucio!" He felt hands grabbing at him as he writhed from the touch, afraid that their fingers would turn to claws and try to rip their way back into his throat.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I wouldn't know!"

"Aren't you a fucking magician?"

"That's fine, you two keep arguing, _I'll_ fix this on my own!" Lucio spasmed desperately as his stomach clenched, throwing up helplessly onto the floor, remarkably close to Asra's bare feet.

"Oh my Gods!" The tanned man jumped away from the vomit and groaned, Lucio trembled on his hands and knees as he suppressed the urge to do it again. "Lucio, it's all right, it will be all right, just take a deep breath," Julian's voice vibrated close to his ear and he shuddered, a shaky sob falling from his lips. "Lucio, look at me, come on Lucio look at me," The voice rolled over his body warmly, sending shivers along his spine. "Here, take my hand, Lucio, come, take it," Julian's long fingers slid into view and inched closer to his hands, carefully inviting contact. "Lucio," Julian's voice hesitated and Lucio could hear him running out of patience.

_I have to respond._

_I can't let him slip away from me._

His hand reached out and slipped comfortably into Julian's, he jumped slightly when a towel was placed over him and turned to see Violet's legs on his other side, remaining over him. Julian's hand tightened ever-so-slightly and Lucio groaned gently as he felt the warmth of his hand sliding over him. Julian's skin was always much colder than everyone else's, but now, enclasped in his, he felt so much warmer than he had been in the sweltering deserts of the middle Realm, he felt alive again. As though he could finally hear his heart beating. "There, how are you feeling? What happened?" He forced his tense neck to turn and managed to catch Julian's chin, unwilling to look up any further. "I-I had-I'm so sorry, I..." He whimpered as his voice cut out and his hand wrapped around his mouth, holding it shut. "If you're going to be sick," He heard the clang of ceramic being lifted and Julian's hand led his to the edge of the toilet. "Do it in there, it's all right, Lucio," He clambered closer to the bowl of the toilet and leaned his head over it, just in time for the rest of the meagre contents of his stomach to hurl themselves into his oesophagus. "Oof, that was lucky," His voice remained soft and comforting as his hand rubbed Lucio's shoulder, encouraging him to relax under the touch. "I'm sorry," He whined softly, closing his eyes as spit hung from his lips. "Don't apologise," Julian said gently. "Believe me, it's fine, please, just take a deep breath, everything is all right." Lucio cracked under the kindness and began sobbing into the toilet, heavy, thick sobs.

"What happened, Lucio? Why were you screaming?" Violet's voice fell heavy on his ears and he groaned. "Come now, Lucio," Julian said softly. "Tell us what happened," Lucio whimpered as he finally opened his eyes and was forced to look at the tears stained dark as they mixed with his messy makeup and swirled with the snot and sick that was floating in the toilet. "I-I-I don't know...there were-the beetles again, always those Gods-damned beetles! They were swarming me! I couldn't see, or breathe, or-or anything!" He was ashamed at how pathetic his voice came out, afraid and weak. "Beetles?" Julian asked and he turned on him, snarling. "That's what I said, wasn't it?" He immediately stopped himself and covered his mouth hurriedly. "No, Jules I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Julian only smiled at him softly and patted his shoulders. "It's all right, Lucio, I know you're just frightened." "I'm _not_ -" Lucio stopped as his shoulders slumped and shifted as he felt Violet's eyes burn into the back his head.

_She doesn't trust me. She doesn't trust me with her fiancé._

_She doesn't believe me._

_I hate her._

_I **hate** her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her._

_"_ You must have fallen asleep," Julian said softly. "Probably a nightmare, it's all right, though," Lucio lifted his gaze to meet Julian's, looking at him disbelievingly. "How about I stay? I'll help you clean up, you can have something to eat, and maybe you can relax a bit." Julian's voice was so gentle that Lucio's façade cracked and he curled into Julian, nodding gently. "Please...please Jules," He felt the doctor's arm drape comfortingly on his back, pulling him closer into the embrace. "Of course, Lucio," He replied softly.

"My flower?" Lucio's head bobbed slightly, glancing up before realising Julian was speaking to Violet and lowered it to the doctor's chest sadly. "I'll make some tea," She said, almost as if she predicted his question. "Thank you," Julian replied and Lucio listened as she left the bathroom, leaving him alone with Julian again. "Why don't we get you back into the bath?" He frowned at the idea of leaving the comforting space and waited until Julian broke contact first before moving away as well.

Julian's face lowered as his eyes ran over every faded scar and healing injury across Lucio's skin, the purple and brown lines that decorated his skin made him appear like a doll, various seams splitting and being re-sewn incorrectly. As Lucio lowered himself into the water again he groaned softly, it had gone lukewarm, and the topmost layer of dirt had come off, staining it a milky brown. "Are you sure you won't remove your arm?" Julian asked, snapping Lucio from his discomfort. "Yes." He replied softly, hand instinctively wrapping around the golden bicep and tightening defensively. "If you insist," The door opened and Asra entered, looking less than thrilled by the presence of Lucio in his bathtub and vomit on his floor, but still carrying a teacup and a small pouch of charms.

"I've sent Violet to bed," He said quietly, his voice a combination of stern and compassionate. "She needs the rest." Julian nodded and looked down in shame. "I've probably stressed her out a lot in the past few hours," He admitted uncomfortably and Asra nodded. "Immensely. But I've brought these, they should help," He handed the pouch to Julian and held the tea towards Lucio, not hiding the disdain on his face. "Thank you," Julian sighed as he opened the pouch, he glanced up at Lucio as he took the teacup and raised an eyebrow. "What?" "What do good people say when someone has given them something?" Lucio flushed, from annoyance or shame he wasn't sure and turned his head slightly towards Asra. "Thank you, I-I appreciate your kindness," Asra's face softened slightly and Julian smiled at him. "I'll heat that water back up." Asra said and held his hand over the bath. "Tell me when it's comfortable." Lucio nodded and felt with some surprise the temperature of the water rising slowly. After a minute the bath was steaming again and Lucio nodded. "Now - th-thank you," Julian smiled again and looked to Asra. "Thanks Asra," He said gently and the magician nodded. "Of course, Ilya," He leaned over and kissed the top of Julian's head, sparking another flame of quickly extinguished jealousy in Lucio's chest.

"Now then," Julian opened the pouch and tipped the charms into his palm. "Let's see what these are for," Lucio eyed them suspiciously as Julian's fingers turned them over in his hand, studying the runes and images decorating them. "What are they?" Lucio finally asked and Julian glanced up at him, smiling softly. "They're for healing," He held his hand over the bath as if to drop them into the water but Lucio flung his hands out, stopping him. "No! I don't want them!" Julian looked up in surprise as Lucio's hand knocked his away. "They're not going to hurt you, Lucio, these are to help you, see?" Julian held out his hand again, turning over one of the charms. "This one is to help relax your muscles, and this one is for...infections, and this one is for purifying the water, they'll help you." "I don't _want_ them!" Lucio growled in reply. "Lucio. I'm doing this to help you, so just trust me and everything will be all right." Julian's voice was surprisingly stern and Lucio felt shame heat his cheeks. "Please, Julian, I don't want you to hurt me!" Julian took Lucio's hand and squeezed it gently. "I won't, Lucio, you trust me, don't you? You trust that I won't hurt you." Lucio's face remained blank and Julian raised an eyebrow. "Lucio, you know I could have called the guards, or left you when you ran out of the bar, or just said no when you asked for help. I'm not going to hurt you now, am I?" He nodded weakly and jumped when he felt Julian's hand on his cheek. "It's all right, Lucio, I won't hurt you," He said gently and dropped the charms into the bath.

Julian helped Lucio wash the buildup of dirt from his body, suppressing the sounds of pity he wanted to make every time a new scar was revealed. Lucio leant gratefully into the gentle touches, completely abandoning his fear as Julian's hands ran along his skin. He had missed these caresses, soft hands touching his skin lovingly, with no threat of malice or cruelty, it was almost too much. "Here, drink your tea. Asra made it for you so it's probably got some healing herbs in it." Lucio picked up the teacup that Julian held to him and sipped it nervously. "I don't trust him," He whispered softly. "He hates me. He hated me before I died. And he hates me even more now." He lifted his face to Julian's and met his grey eyes. "Wh-what if it's poisoned? What if he's trying to get rid of me?" Julian shook his head gently and shushed Lucio. "Please, don't worry, Lucio. I promise that it isn't poisoned." He wrapped his fingertips around the handle of the teacup and lifted it to his lips. "I'll show you," He took a sip of the tea and his face screwed up slightly. "Hm, maybe we will put it aside," He placed it on the lid of the toilet as Lucio's heart leapt. "I knew it! He tried to kill me!" He exclaimed, clutching at his throat. "No. No, Lucio, I don't like that taste, but it isn't dangerous. I'll ask him about it when we've finished. Just relax, okay? I'll wash your hair if you like." Lucio reluctantly settled back into the bath and moaned softly as Julian's fingers gently massaged his scalp.

~

Asra was sitting by Violet's head, stroking Faust who was curling around her forearm. She shouldn't have fallen asleep so easily, at least, not without his help. He's had to give her sleeping spells before, after he brought her back she had nightmares, she was sometimes so afraid she couldn't fall asleep. Those nights Asra almost wished he hadn't brought her back, that he hadn't forced her to endure this torture, but she always claimed that his presence was enough to calm her, and eventually they went away.

_Julian!_

Asra turned at Faust's exclamation and smiled slightly to the doctor, who was leading Lucio who was wrapped in towels with his hands on the ex-Count's shoulders. Lucio glanced at him, eyebrows narrowed, before looking back to the floor, allowing Julian to push him gently into a seat. "Everything go well?" Asra asked and Julian turned a look to him, concerned and uncomfortable, Lucio's face narrowed and he bit his lip. Julian moved silently to Asra and stood by his side. "Did you put something in that tea you gave to Lucio?" He whispered and Asra hesitated.

_Devil's Breath!_

Asra turned a disapproving look to Faust and sighed exasperatedly. "Asra, what does Devil's Breath do?" Julian asked suspiciously, placing a hand on his hip. "Nothing much, it's just a muscle relaxant," Asra replied, looking at the doctor nonchalantly. "Devil's Breath?" They realised that Violet had awoken and was blinking sleepily at the pair. "It's a mind-control drug. It isn't used in Vesuvia and only the most special of people are allowed to possess it." She pushed herself onto her hand and looked at Asra accusingly. "Why did you lie?" She asked as Asra's cheeks darkened. "Why did you put it in Lucio's tea?" Julian asked and he shook his head. "I wanted to protect you two. All I would have asked was that he turned himself in. He wouldn't have even been hurt! It would have worn off in an hour." He admitted and Violet sighed, rubbing her face with the arm Faust was curled around. "You don't trust my judgement? My ability?" She asked. "You don't think I would have been able to keep my family safe? You don't think I wasn't planning on him betraying us?" "That's not it, Violet! I just, saw an opportunity to save us all some heartache." She shook her head and sat up properly, glancing at Julian. "Lucio saw an opportunity when he made a pact with the Devil." Julian said sternly. "But my opportunity wouldn't end with the destruction of our Realms and the deaths of innumerable innocents! I would have only murdered one. One who greatly deserved to die." Asra retorted angrily, Julian's face hardened and he shook his head. "There's been _enough_ death in Vesuvia's past twenty years to last for the rest of time." He spat and swallowed heavily. "One would think you'd recognise that." Violet's face fell as she looked at him and she shifted onto her knees to reach for him. "Death that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for him. Death that shouldn't have occurred at all." Asra replied softly, meeting his gaze. She knew they were both thinking about her, it wouldn't be an interaction with Asra and Julian without them somehow managing to bring up their not-so-late friend.

"Asra, you shouldn't have tried to drug him." Violet finally said. "You shouldn't have betrayed us." She glanced over to Lucio, who was curled into his chest, staring at his shaking hands. "You should have trusted _me_." She reached a hand out to Julian and he helped her as she stood. "It clearly isn't safe here, we'll have to leave early is Asra stays this skittish." "No, Violet, wait!" He stood in front of her and bobbed his head shamefully. "I'm sorry, I won't do anything like this again, I promise." His hand flinched at his side as he suppressed the urge to take her hand. "You promise?" She asked as he lifted his gaze to hers. "Cross my heart." He said as his finger dragged across her heart. "Fine." She sighed and nodded gently. 

"How is he?" She asked Julian, indicating her head ever-so-slightly towards Lucio. "Well, for some reason he doesn't trust us," Julian responded, looking at Asra as he rolled his eyes. "He's better now that he's clean though, but he doesn't look like he's eaten in far too long." "His aura did seem quite weak," Asra posited and Julian turned a sarcastic look to him. "Don't. I'm not in the mood." Violet hissed and the pair stopped glaring at each other. "We should feed him, give him something to drink that _isn't_ drugged, and make him go to sleep." "Not in my bed." He snapped and Violet shook her head. "Fine, on the floor then, I don't care." Julian kissed her temple and nodded, turning to approach Lucio again. "As long as he isn't left alone with me he can stay," Asra said quietly, holding his hand to Faust so she could climb around his shoulders. "And I won't try to interfere again, I promise." Violet nodded and smiled at him. "I appreciate it, Asra, it's safest if he doesn't move around too much." She said as she glanced back to where Julian was crouching beside Lucio. "I promise I won't let him hurt us." She added in a low voice. "The sea is a vast, empty place, and should it come to it, I'm not afraid to toss him into it."


	5. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patience begins to run thin as Lucio continues to refuse to cooperate with the others.

Lucio eyed the cup of tea that was placed in front of him suspiciously. He refused to touch it. Even when Julian coaxed him into drinking it by sipping it himself. "Lucio, you have to drink something." He said softly and Lucio shook his head. "I don't want to." He replied indignantly and Violet sighed. "Fine then," He flinched at her brisk tone and jumped as she thumped the kettle, a teapot and a jar of tea down in front of him. "Make it yourself if you don't trust us." He looked at her nervously and Julian rested a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Violet," He said quietly before looking back at Lucio. "Asra won't try to do anything like this again, he's sorry for putting that herb in your drink," "No. I'm not." Asra interjected harshly, glaring at the pair. "I won't do anything, but I don't apologise for what I did do." Julian sent a glare to him before sighing softly. "Have something to drink, and have something to eat, and then you can have a rest, please try and cooperate with us, Lucio, we're trying to help."

_I want to, Jules! Please, I want to! I just can't! I can't afford to trust anyone. Not even you._

"I will-I will, I'll try!" He gasped and Julian smiled at him gently. "Good job, just make yourself some tea and we'll have breakfast." He nodded and reached out with trembling hands to take the kettle. "Careful, it's hot." Violet said and Lucio wrapped his flesh hand around it. "Hey! I said it was hot!" He nodded as his teeth bit into his lip, silencing any sounds of pain. "I-I deserve to be hurt. It's-it's for the best." He whimpered as he poured the water into the teacup. "No, Lucio." She said, gently pushing the kettle to the table. "That's not a healthy way to process your guilt. All you're going to do is hurt yourself more and we'll have to heal you." He looked down sheepishly and felt Julian's hand on his. "Don't hurt yourself, Lucio, please, we'll figure out a healthier way for you to behave, just don't cause yourself any more pain." He said gently and Lucio ignored Asra's scoff.

He made himself a cup of tea and sipped at it gingerly, smiling slightly as the familiar and soothing taste touched his tongue. Julian offered him a buttered slice of pumpkin bread and he chewed on it nervously, relishing the way real food felt as it was chewed up in his mouth. Julian ended up feeding him a full loaf of the bread, and two more cups of tea before he was satisfied. "Did you end up getting to Mazelinka's?" Violet asked as she brushed out her hair, braiding it behind her. "I did, her book is in my bag under all the bread," Julian said from Lucio's side, he had been carefully examining the scars and scabbing wounds on Lucio's skin, gently brushing over them as to not startle the creature. 

"Mazelinka?" Lucio whispered over the teacup clutched in his hands. "Wasn't she with you when you unbound me?" Violet looked over curiously and nodded. "Uh, yeah, how do you know her name?" He hesitated, panicking.

_Please try and cooperate with us, Lucio._

Before he swallowed his nerves and tried to answer her. "One of you said her name, Portia, I think, back when you and Asra were unbinding me." He mumbled, avoiding her eye. "You remember the name of a woman you only heard in passing an eternity ago?" She asked incredulously and he shrugged uncomfortably. "I needed to have a good memory, when you're a soldier, and a Count, and especially when you're abandoned in the Magical Realms for years. I would have died long ago if I couldn't remember the safe way over a river or which territories belonged to predators." Her face softened slightly and she nodded, turning back to grab her bag. "Don't dwell on it," Julian said, noticing the look on Lucio's face. "It's all right now, you won't go back there," He turned his head to look at Violet who was raising her eyebrow questioningly. "Even if you aren't allowed to stay with us, we won't let you go back there. I won't let you go back there." He repeated and she nodded reluctantly. "Fine," She sighed as she pulled on her bag and walked back towards the pair. 

"I'm going to swing by the ship and make sure that everything is going well, I can bring them the pumpkin bread if you like," She said as she reached out a hand and slid it down Julian's jaw. "Thank you, my flower, um...don't-don't tell them about Lucio," He replied gently before she could lean down and kiss him. "I won't, we can think of a way to introduce the idea over the week," She smiled comfortingly and kissed him, ignorant of Lucio's sneer.

_She's mocking me._

_Shoving their relationship in my face._

_I get it, okay? He loves you. I was just the asshole he would sleep with sometimes._

_Just, leave me alone._

"Thank you, love, come back soon, all right?" Julian asked gently and she nodded. "Don't worry, I won't leave you alone with Asra for too long," She chuckled and stood up, glancing at Lucio. "I won't threaten you constantly, Lucio," She said, fixing her bag strap on her shoulder. "And I'll give you one chance, but I promise, if you do anything, _anything_ to Julian, the Magical Realms will be the least of your problems." Her voice hit his ears grating and cruel, like when she spoke to him during his unbinding. He shuddered violently and nodded, curling his chin into his chest timidly. "Okay," He murmured weakly as Julian shifted to readjust his grip on Lucio's shoulder. "Violet, that's not necessary," He said sternly before she turned her serious gaze to him. "Julian, after his past, if I didn't warn him, I would be an idiot. I'm not denying he wants to redeem himself, but in case he was considering or already had lied to you, I wanted to remind him that I've defeated him before. And I can do it again." She said as she turned and moved towards the door. "Even so, don't let him out of your sight for long." She added as she swung the door closed behind her.

"Please don't be afraid of her, Lucio," Julian said hurriedly, clutching at Lucio's hand. "She's just a bit protective," "Protective? She threatened to torture me worse than the Realms could!" The man snapped, ripping his hand from Julian's grasp. "She-she's going to torture me!" Julian shook his head and grabbed Lucio's shoulders tightly, pressing his forehead against Lucio's. "No! No, I won't let her, Lucio, I promise. I promise you, she won't hurt you." He said firmly, hands moving across Lucio's shoulders and up his neck to rest gently behind his head. "I'll protect you, all right? I'll keep you safe." This close Julian could see the tears welling in Lucio's eyes, and watched as his silver irises darted back and forth across Julian's face and the water broke over his lashes. "It's all right, Lucio, It's okay," Julian cooed softly, standing up to pull Lucio into an embrace, gently pushing the man's head into his stomach, sighing softly as he felt arms wrap tightly around his waist, and heard Lucio's sobs through the fabric of his shirt. "It's all right, I promise you, how about we make you a bed and you have a rest? You probably need one very badly." Julian suggested softly, looking down as the blonde head nodded against his stomach. "Good, good Lucio, let me get some blankets and pillows and we'll set you up some kind of bed for you. Won't that be nice?" He said softly and Lucio nodded again, sniffling as he released Julian, rubbing his nose aggressively.

Julian took the pillows from the couches and a pile of blankets from a storage closet beside the hallway. Lucio watched timidly as the doctor gently wrapped some of the pillows in a sheet and made it into a mattress for him, soon Julian looked up from where he was working and smiled softly at Lucio. "Come on, I'm sure you're very tired." He moved towards it hesitantly and slowly lifted the blankets so he could get in. "Will-will you leave?" He asked and Julian shook his head softly. "I'll stay and keep an eye on you." He said and smiled at Lucio. "I'm sure, once you've had a rest, you'll feel much, much better," He said, helping Lucio into the bed. "Why don't I unclip this? You've always hated sleeping -" "No!" Lucio exclaimed, barely stopping himself from shoving Julian back, sharp tips of the claws pressing against the exposed skin of Julian's chest. "That's all right, Lucio. I won't force you to take it off," He said, gently wrapped his fingers around the golden wrist. "But please try and avoid attacking me with it," He added, carefully pulling the hand off his chest, exposing five small incisions where the knife-like talons had broken into his skin. "Oh! Oh-oh no! Julian I'm so so -" "Lucio, stop, it's all right, I'm a doctor, I've seen and felt much worse." Julian interrupted, comforting the delicate ex-Count. "But-but I hurt you! And Violet, she -" "Lucio." He cowered under Julian's stern tone and glanced at him nervously. "It was an accident, they'll be healed by the time she returns." Julian continues, in a much gentler voice. "Don't work yourself up over nothing, Lucio, you're only going to hurt yourself! Okay?" Lucio nodded gently and gulped. "Uh-huh," He murmured and Julian smiled kindly to him. "Good, now get some sleep, I'll be here." He promised, stroking Lucio's hair comfortingly. "Thank you, Jules," Lucio murmured as he closed his eyes and let sleep wash over him.


	6. Fantasies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucio realises that his nightmares won't leave him alone in the human Realm, and begs Julian to help him cope with it. Unfortunately that only leads to another kind of dream, one that leaves him just as unhappy as the nightmare.

_He couldn't move. No matter how much he willed himself, he couldn't move anything._

_"Seems like my spell has worked a miracle." He could barely look up high enough to see Asra's knees. "Finally, you've stopped talking." The magician stepped forward and dug his fingers into Lucio's hair. He was unable to stop Asra from pulling him up, by his scalp, ripping him forward and dragging him to the wall, throwing him against it with such force that the pain made his muscles spasm and he managed a agonised groan before blinking. Seeing a fistful of bloody hair in Asra's hand._

_"You know, it always seems like you have something against me. Something personal." Asra hissed, shaking the hair from his hand in disgust. "From ever since I was a child, when you took my parents away for your own, selfish, reasons." He stepped closer to Lucio, who now that he was sitting upright, could see the blood marking sigils in his skin, purple eyes flickering like fire, baring a grin of sharp fangs. "Then you brought the plague, just as I was settling in to enjoy life. I tried to leave. But all you did in retaliation was kill my apprentice, who I loved dearly, and drag me back to Vesuvia to mourn her." As he took a step towards Lucio, the ground trembled beneath him, a dark serpent slithered around his feet and leant close to Lucio's face, hissing violently and exposing a tongue dripping with black poison and fangs sharper than needles. "Then, you decided to taunt me with Julian. That beautiful idiot who always sees the good in people, so much so that he's allowed you back, into **my** home, under some pretence that he's offering you a haven that you deserve after paying for your crimes. Well, you haven't." Asra leaned in close to Lucio's face, watching as tears broke over his waterline and traced down his cheeks, his mouth twitching aggressively. Desperate to defend himself._

_"Oh, don't even try." Asra spat, seemingly reading Lucio's thoughts. "You should have known the consequences of your actions. You were the bloody Count of Vesuvia! You needed to have some idea of how the universe works! You act like an asshole, you get punished. You act like a colossal spoilt child with a penchant for blind praise and temper tantrums, you don't deserve redemption." He reached into one of the pockets of his baggy trousers and triumphantly pulled out a knife, thin as paper with a blade that glinted in the dull sunlight coming from the window just over his head. "You've always been toxic, Lucio. You've always been a waste of space, a waste of a leader, a waste of a body. We should have left you between Realms, where you belong, as a manifestation of nothing, barely a shadow. That's what you deserve." Lucio's frantic attempt at struggling finally allowed him to shake his head desperately, eyes still locked on the blade._

_"You know, there's an ancient ritual from my people that my parents taught me when we returned to Zadith shortly after their release from the Devil's clutches and your dungeon," Asra said, turning the knife over in his hands, eying Lucio's exposed and unprotected torso. "Something my ancient ancestors did prior to a battle, they would take an enemy, slice open his stomach, and disembowel him. Then they would read their future success from the way the intestines landed on the floor."_

_"Please...Asra..." Lucio managed to croak, his throat felt as though he had swallowed a handful of sand and his voice came out pitifully weak. Well, not pitifully._

_"Well, I'm impressed," Asra smirked, pressing the tip of the knife into his fingertip and watching as a drop of blood slithered down its edge. "You always have been a survivor, though. I'm glad I can at least hear you plead and cry and beg for mercy. Even though it must be clear that it's lost on me." He kneeled in front of Lucio, grinning like a predator standing over its prey, too weak and tired to be able to run any further. "I've always wanted to practice my ancestor's magic,"_

_Lucio's lungs squeezed tight as he felt the knife slide into his skin, a strangled gasp exploding from his lips and eliciting a heavy chuckle from Asra. His tissue barely offered resistance against the blade sliced through it like water, the pain striking Lucio in violent waves like a stormy ocean crashing over a cliffside. Lucio could never find a way to describe the feeling of the cool air on his insides, or the feeling of Asra's hands, slick with his blood, digging into the chasm he had created and pulling out metres of his intestines._

_Darkness blurred the edge of Lucio's vision as his whole nervous system sparked and writhed helplessly against the pain and whatever spell that held him still. He heard a wet splat as the magician hurled his treasured organs to the ground, sobbing desperately, as though there was some way to undo what had been done. Asra laughed again, deep and malicious as he crouched before Lucio's hazy gaze, his tanned skin spattered with blood. Lucio's blood._

_"Well, what do you know? It says I was victorious."_

_~_

Lucio sprang from the bed in a whirlwind of depraved gasps and lashing claws, striking at the air that threatened to turn into the malicious and sadistic form Asra had taken on in his dream.

"Lucio! Lucio, what's wrong?" Julian's familiar and panicked voice pierced through Lucio's fear and he turned towards the sound, eyes falling on Julian as his aggressive limbs went limp. "Jules," He managed to whimper before bursting into tears and covering his face with his hands. "Oh, Lucio, it's all right, Lucio, it's okay." Julian soothed, racing forward to comfort the creature sobbing into their palms. "What happened? Did you have another nightmare?" He asked as his arms wrapped protectively around Julian. "Don't be afraid, everything is all right." He said calmly, rubbing his hand up and down Lucio's spine.

_I can't tell you, Jules. You won't believe me. You'll ridicule me. You'll tell me I'm being silly and that I'm just overdramatic._

"Please don't leave me, Jules!" He whined desperately into Julian's shirt. "Gods, I'm so frightened," "Shush now, of course I won't leave you," He replied softly, pulling the weak creature tighter into the embrace. "You've barely been asleep an hour, Lucio, you should try to go back to bed." "No, no I don't want to!" Lucio shuddered and Julian shook his head softly. "Lucio, you have to get some rest. I don't want to have to sedate you." Lucio felt himself bristle at the mention of sedation and shook his head violently, thrashing against Julian's hold. "No! No, I'll be good! I'll be good!" Julian released Lucio in surprise and forced the older man to look him in the eye. "I won't punish you, Lucio. It isn't a punishment, I just want to look out for you." Lucio couldn't help but stare at the red sclera of Julian's right eye and swallow, feeling fresh tears flood his eyes as he remembered all the accusations Asra hurled at him. All of which were true.

"Will you please stay with me?" He asked desperately as those fresh tears slid over his lashes and down his cheeks. "I already told you, Lucio, I will," "N-no, I mean, li-like _with_ me? Touching me? Please?" Lucio's fingers clutched at Julian's shirt and his eyes land on the scabbing marks on Julian's chest from his previous attack. He released Julian like his touch burned and covered his mouth to contain the desperate, wet sobs that threatened to escape him, being swallowed by his chest shaking violently. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry-I'm sorry!" He squeaks and Julian shakes his head, stepping closer to Lucio. "It's all right, Lucio, I promise. I'll stay with you." He says, reaching out to the man. "Come here." He cooed and gasped as Lucio leapt into his arms, knocking the air from his lungs. He hesitated as he heard Lucio mumbling some incoherent thanks into his chest and sighed gently. "Come, now. Let's get you back into bed," He said and stepped backwards, pulling Lucio with him.

After carefully tucking Lucio back into the bed, Julian sat down beside his head and reached out a hand to him. "Cou-could you come closer, please?" He asked nervously and Julian paused. "Really?" "Please, Jules!" Lucio whined softly. "I-I need you to keep me grounded." Julian sighed softly and nodded. "Sit up," He whispered and shifted towards Lucio, settling by the top of the makeshift bed. "Here," He said softly, placing a small pillow in his lap as Lucio eyed him in surprise. "I'll stay here so I can keep an eye on you," Lucio nodded slightly and rubbed his tired eyes. "Thank you, Jules," He sniffed, lying down to rest his head delicately in Julian's lap.

"Mnm, I missed you so much," He whispered, snuggling his head against the pillow with Julian's scent rolling over it. "Don't ever leave me again," His voice was barely a murmur as he rested a hand in the bend of Julian's hip. "Stop talking, Lucio, just go to sleep." Julian sighed softly as he rested his hand on Lucio's head, gently stroking his hair.

~

_"Come here," Lucio's eyes glanced up and met Julian's as he smiled at Lucio. "Come on, what are you so afraid of?" The doctor grinned and Lucio felt laughter bubble from his throat. "I guess I just don't believe it, is all," He shrugged and stepped over the soft grass to Julian's outstretched arms. "What on Earth could you mean?" He chuckled, wrapping his long arms around Lucio. "Who wouldn't want the great Count Lucio?" He smirked, Lucio looked down and realised that his once ratty clothes had returned to their former glory. The white satin was crystal clean, and his golden buttons sparkled in the sunlight. His medals were pinned, polished and gleaming over his heart, and the scarlet sash was red from dye, not blood._

_"The great Count Lucio," He echoed softly, looking down at his beautiful suit. "Oh my love," Julian chuckled. "The greatest of all," Lucio felt his stomach clench as he dissolved into Julian's embrace. "You and your silver tongue," He murmured. "Should have been a thespian," His lips brushed Julian's throat and he hesitated, nervous to grasp at this pleasure too soon, in case it disappeared in front of him. "I'd never give up my life, it brought me to you, after all," Lucio practically swooned and Julian let out a chuckle as he caught the man. "You're much more receptive than usual," He commented, lowering the pair to the soft grass. "I adore seeing you respond so sweetly," Lucio grinned at Julian and leaned up, silently begging for a kiss. He couldn't make the first move. Julian would disappear in a puff of smoke like all his other hallucinations had. But this Julian obliged, dipping his head to kiss the Count. Lucio's stomach tightened as he felt the familiar pleasure from Julian's soft lips, the comforting way in which the side of Julian's nose pressed against Lucio's. He couldn't contain his moan, loud and desiring as he deepened the kiss, pulling Julian closer, relishing the way Julian's tongue slipped between his lips and slid along Lucio's._

_"You always knew how to take my breath away," Lucio panted as Julian pulled back, smiling at him sweetly. "Well, why wouldn't I when it tastes so wonderful?" He teased, gently pulling Lucio with him as he lay on his back. "Do you practice these lines in the mirror?" Lucio grinned as he felt gravity pushing their bodies together tighter. "Oh, always. I'm constantly thinking of ways to make you blush." Julian replied before he slid one gloved hand behind Lucio's head, pushing their lips together. What perfection. If a moment could last forever, let it be the feeling of Julian's teeth gnawing gently at Lucio's lip. "Mgn, don't do that," He grumbled softly. "You know how hard that gets me," Julian sent him a cheeky smirk and bit at it again. "Of course I do," He growled lowly, grinding Lucio's hips against his. "That's what I want, isn't it?" Lucio blushed bright red and gulped, feeling the swell in his groin as his body reacted exactly as he predicted._

_"Your cock was always just as fucking noble as you were," Julian smirked, running a hand to Lucio's rear and kneading it roughly. "Didn't matter where, pulsing inside me, or twitching under my lips, or slapping against my stomach, there wasn't anywhere that I didn't want to imagine it." Lucio whimpered in a very unattractive way and flushed darker, burying his face in Julian's shoulder. "Oh no, my love," Julian chuckled, gently prying Lucio's head up again. "I like that noise. If I continue praising your cock, will you make it again?" Lucio groaned in embarrassment but nodded once he saw Julian's adoring face. "Good boy," He cooed and groaned softly as he felt the appendage hardening against his own. "Oh, the God's definitely enchanted it," He began, chuckling as Lucio buried his face against Julian's chest. "From the first moment I held it I wanted more. Remember, our first time together? I stroked you off, too afraid to be caught doing anything else. But it only took me a day before I swallowed it whole, wanting your taste all the way to my lungs. Then, oh, you remember the first time you fucked me? I would have done anything for you," Julian moaned at the memory, hearing Lucio pant desperately beside his ear. "It was so heavenly I cried, I didn't let you slide out of me until I had to leave." That elicited the sound that had enamoured Julian, leaving Lucio shuddering beside him._

_"Please," He begged softly. "Gods, please, please do it again," He lifted his face to look at Julian and kissed him. "Touch me like you worship me and tell me that I'm all you want. That I'm enough for you." "Of course you're enough for me," Julian replied, leaning up and pressing a kiss to Lucio's neck. "You're everything." Lucio gasped happily as he was rolled onto his back, Julian kneeling over him, a hand trailing down his stomach to the hem of his pants. "All I need. All I want. All I could ever dream of," Lucio whined desperately, feeling Julian's fingers wriggling under the hem, inching agonisingly close. "I'm all you want," He breathed happily as the hand slid lower and lower. "More than Violet," The hand disappeared like mist and he found himself on the grass alone._

_~_

Lucio groaned agonisingly as he felt the weight behind his eyelids and realised he had awoken. That the Julian that loved him was a dream. And that some of his body's reactions in the dream followed him to the real world. Then he realised that Julian and Asra were talking. No, not talking, arguing.


	7. Cruel Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asra's dislike of Lucio calls forth old and previously buried anger, inviting them to open fresh wounds between both Julian and Asra.

Julian found himself quite bored as he kept Lucio company. He should have gotten one of his medical journals, he thought. Something to help occupy his mind. He sat against the wall for hours, occasionally reaching his arm out and practicing the few easy spells that Violet was teaching him. Light-summoning spells or minor pyrokinesis, he quite enjoyed the power that came from them, what a liberating sensation it was to create these manifestations. He wanted her to teach him healing spells, to improve his skills as a doctor, but she wanted him to gain better control over his powers first. She claimed that if a healing spell goes wrong there's a potential to do even more damage, and knowing how much Julian works himself up, it's best that they work on his ability a bit more for the moment.

He rested a hand absentmindedly on Lucio's head and stroked his hair gently. He struggled to shift under the blond head in his lap without eliciting soft moans or flinching from the owner, threatening to wake up from the movement. He looked up as the door opened and smiled at Asra. 

"Hey, Asra," He sighed, catching the ivory-haired man's gaze. "Are you taking a break?" The violet eyes looked at him and he saw a silver eyebrow arch questioningly.

"No, it's evening, I've closed the shop." He replied, glancing to the window where golden sunlight was pooling through, staining the wood floor below it. "How was your day with _him_?" He asked, jutting his head towards Lucio. 

"Not bad, he's been sleeping most of the day so I've been here for hours." Julian replied, ignorant of how his fingers were slipping through the freshly cleaned hair and the way Asra's eyes narrowed at the sight.

"So you've been cradling his head in your lap all day?" He asked, slivers of contempt penetrating his words. "You can't be serious. The dreaded Count Lucio who was banished from Vesuvia indefinitely for his crimes against the people, against you, against _me_ , against Violet! And you've been stroking his hair and babying him all day?" Julian's face lowered slightly and he looked at Asra in surprise. 

"He was having a nightmare, I'm just comforting him," He said softly, tilting his head to the side. "Why does this upset you so much?"

"I'm upset because Violet told me last night that I wasn't allowed to be near her! Because of you! She's distancing herself from me to protect your delicate ego. From _me_ , I was her master, her teacher, her friend! And I can't be with her like I used to because it upsets _you._ But you're allowed to cosy up to your former lover just because he had a nightmare." Asra's voice has rarely reached that level of contempt before, that level of pure, unadulterated hatred that flowed through Julian's body like ice.

"I never told Violet to stay away from you!" He snapped in reply. "Maybe she's just tired of having you treat her like you're still together -"

"We _were_! We _were_ together! You wanna know why? Because we knew each other long before the plague! It's because of you that she forgot that! She _loved_ me! And because of you she not only forgot, she died! I lost her! I had to give up a part of myself in order to bring her back! And after all that, she still chose _you_!" He yelled, not hiding his rage anymore from Julian. 

"You abandoned her! Left her in Vesuvia to run away like a coward! I did...everything I could have done, but once someone caught the plague that was it for them!" The doctor snarled in reply. "You left her on your travels, she was saving my life! You wouldn't have helped me even when we were together. I know that I was nothing but a distraction and a source of funding while you brought her back! You _used_ me." Asra scowled as he realised the truth in that statement and shook his head. 

"So what? You had him! Why should I have been yours also? And look, now you've returned to his embrace, even after he shoved a plague beetle down your throat and vowed to bring you down with him! I gave up part of my heart in order to bring her back to life and you still swooped in and stole her! How dare you claim everything you want while I sit here with nothing!"

"You're just a jealous and selfish hack that blames everyone else for what they do! Of course it's _my_ fault that Violet didn't choose you! It had nothing to do with your cryptic arrogance, and possessive absenteeism, or your need to be the only person in the room unaffected by anything! She likes the way I'm free with my emotions!"

"At least I'm not a trouble-making slut that will abandon any values I have the moment someone I used to fuck looks at me kindly! I bet if I batted my eyelashes and moaned prettily then you would abandon Violet for me too! Even if I did say all I wanted was to hurt you. You have no respect for your relationships and that's why you're sitting in _my_ house harbouring the man I hate the most, because you love him more than me!"

"I don't love Lucio -"

"You spent the whole day cradling his head in your lap and stroking his hair! I bet Violet didn't realise the true nature behind your interest in saving the cunt!"

"How could you even suggest such a thing? I thought you approved of our relationship, she chose me! For...for whatever reason that was she still chose me! I love her. With-with all my heart -" Julian's voice cut out as eyes welled up with tears of frustration and he swallowed heavily, looking down at Lucio again.

"I did! Before you interfered with _our_ relationship and brought home the man who took her from _me_ in the first place!" Asra knew Julian was quick to upset, but he was still furious.

"Violet is her own person. She didn't ask you to bring her back. And once you did anyway, you didn't start a relationship with her. Before we knew of my innocence she still helped me. There was something between us from the moment I broke into the shop. Maybe your relationship just wasn't _in the cards_."

"I can't believe you have the fucking nerve to even suggest that to me!" Asra growled in reply. "You don't think I spent days, asking and asking and asking for their help? Everything was in my favour until the very moment you arrived! You don't deserve her!"

"I ju-I just wanted to help him! I love Violet! She gave me chance after chance after all I had done and so I thought he maybe deserved one," His voice came out low as he blinked the tears from his eyes and shook his head. "I never interfered with your relationship with Violet because I knew she loved you, too, even though it made me uncomfortable and I was scared that somehow you would take her away from me. But you clearly don't have any qualms about insulting my behaviour." He stood up quickly, tipping Lucio's now awake head to the floor as he strode closer to Asra, fury reflected in the tears balancing precariously on his lashes.

"Ilya -"

"Shut up. Shut up, just, shut up!" Julian hissed, his cheeks flushing so brightly that they almost glowed. "You always do this! You're the smartest person in the room! Or the most clever, or witty, unsurprised, or the first the be the good guy! You're so fucking vain that everything is always about you!"

"That's ridiculous -"

"I never understood my worth in Violet's eyes and I never understood why she chose me before Nadia, or Portia, or you. I don't _care_ what your relationship is like, but I worry anyway that I won't be enough for her! I wanted to try and embody that same loving, compassionate, trusting person that saved me from myself and help someone with nothing but a bad reputation and a bounty on their head. But somehow you managed to make it into a personal attack against you as a person and you as a friend."

"You never even considered how upsetting it would be to drag him here!"

"And yet, instead of explaining why you were so unhappy like a normal person would, you made it all about how you were Violet's soulmate and that I didn't deserve her love, isn't that right? You think that just because you are so cruel and reluctant with yours that Violet should be the same, too! But, believe me, she is nowhere near as viciously evil as you are!" Asra felt his heart clench in discomfort and bit back his own physical reaction. "When even Lucio can muster some feelings of affection better than you can, it really doesn't look good." He reached up and wiped his eyes aggressively as he watched Asra avert his gaze, finally realising how harsh their words had been. "Whatever Violet said to you, wasn't encouraged by me. I only want her to be happy. Even if it means that sometimes I am not." Julian sniffed heavily and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, pulling his eyepatch from his pocket. 

"I'm sorry, Ilya -"

"Watch him." Julian interrupted, pulling on his cover. "I'm going out for a while." His footsteps were audible until he reached the bottom of the stairs, the only indication that he had actually left being the heavy thunk as the door was shut behind him.

~

"I suppose you liked watching that." Asra snarled, throwing a glare towards Lucio's form.

"Wh-why would I have liked that?" He squeaked in reply, clutching his arms to his chest as he sat up. Wincing as Asra cackled in reply, sending a scathing glare towards him. 

"Because you like seeing people, especially me, in pain." He snapped, walking over to the kitchen and waving his hand at the stove salamander. "You've always enjoyed a good argument, nothing gets the blood flowing like drama, doesn't it?" Lucio shook his head softly and curled his gaze into his lap.

"No, no I didn't like it," He murmured, lifting a hand to his mouth. "I don't-don't want any more trouble." He heard Asra groan and curled tighter into a ball, protecting from any aggressive outbursts from the magician.

"Hmm, of course." He finally growled. "You've just become _so_ perfect, haven't you?" 

"Please, Asra," Lucio murmured, clutching his chest uncomfortably. "I-I don't want to forget who I used to be, all I want is a chance to be a better person," He made certain to avoid any potential glares from the amethyst eyes. "I'm not perfect. I never was. And even now I'm not even good. I don't even know how to be a good person. Maybe the kindest thing I ever did was die. And maybe the cruelest thing I ever did was come back and get Jules to help me. But I can't bear being on my own anymore! I don't know how to survive as a normal person and I was too selfish to try." He sniffed weakly, swallowing the lump in his throat as he finally allowed his gaze to lift to Asra.

"Fine." The magician sighed, shaking his head. "Do you want some tea?" 

"No!" The words came out too quickly to be ignored or passed off as being uninterested. Asra turned a curious look towards him and Lucio averted his eyes. 

"Why?" Asra asked and the creature attempted a nonchalant shrug.

"I-I'm just not that thirsty at the moment," He murmured, looking into his lap.

"Hmm," Asra moved quickly across the floor, appearing right in front of Lucio in a matter of moments. "You were never good at lying, Lucio," He said, catching the creature's eyes. "What is it?" Lucio gulped heavily and shook his head, squeezing his arms into his chest. He whined nervously as Asra reached out a hand and rested it on Lucio's scalp.

In half a second, the nightmare that had thrown Lucio into Julian's arms rolled over Lucio's eyes again and he whimpered painfully as he was forced to feel the same dread and terror once again. 

"Ah." Asra pulled his hand away and stood straight again, an aggravatingly knowing smile on his lips. "Don't worry," He said, turning to return to the kitchen. "I promised Violet and Julian that I wouldn't drug you again." Lucio heard the sound of boiling water being poured into a teapot and a delicate aroma soon wafted over to him. "How do you take your tea?"

~

The sun had fully set by the time Violet pushed open the door and walked in, looking pleased, but rather exhausted. As she scanned the room she found Lucio still crouched by his sleeping arrangement, clutching a teacup possessively in his hands, and Asra reading intently, rubbing his chin in a way he usually reserves for when he's nervous. And no Julian in sight.

"Hey, Asra," She smiled slightly, catching his attention. "Where's Julian?" Asra's deep purple eyes creased slightly and he shut the book, rubbing his chin even more agitatedly. 

"We had . . . an argument," He finally muttered, standing to move towards her. "He left a few hours ago." Violet's eyes widened and she looked at him quizzically. 

"A-a few hours ago? What did you argue about?" Her eyes flashed to Lucio and turned her gaze back to Asra, even more confused. "You said you refused to be left alone with him, and Julian doesn't usually 'disappear' for hours, and what could you have fought about that made him so upset that he left?" Asra's cheeks flushed darker and darker with each question until Violet was sure he was going to combust.

"It-it was a stupid argument, that I started, again. I was being irrational, and I said some things that I really shouldn't have, and he said some things, and in the end he got upset and said he was leaving," He muttered in shame, lowering his face to avoid having to look her in the eye. 

" _What about_?" She asked again and Asra swallowed thickly, eventually holding out a hand to her. 

"It's . . . it's not pleasant," He warned her, shoulders curling in as she hesitated touching his hand. "I was cruel, and some of what he said only angered me more, and so it isn't good, and it isn't nice to listen to. But I-I'm too embarrassed to actually tell you." She frowned softly and sighed, reaching out with a new determination to understand what caused such a strange response in her friend.

As her fingers laced with his her eyes glazed over. She stood stock-still as the argument replayed from Asra's memory into her head, wincing or flinching at the particularly scathing comments, biting her lip as she felt the tightness in Asra's chest as he insulted Julian, as he admitted his love of her once again, as he felt shame and anger leak into his veins due to Julian's responses. When she released his hand he saw her eyes were glassy and her hands shook slightly from the excitement of the exchange.

Asra waited. Patiently. Ready for her to yell at him, and sweep away, and disappear forever in response to his utter annihilation of her fiancé's self-confidence and self-worth. She took a heavy breath and looked up, meeting his eyes with hers, no matter how much he wanted to look away in shame. 

"I-ah-you-oh Gods, Asra," She finally breathed, struggling for a moment to find the words. Her tone was far too soft for his liking, for what he thought he deserved. "I-I'm sorry," She finally whispered, stepping forward and taking his hands with a gentleness that he didn't want or deserve. "Oh, what have I done?" She murmured into their gap as he hesitantly squeezed her grip tighter, soaking up the feel of her skin like he never will again. 

"Please-please, Violet, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that, I was...I was upset, and I want to say that I was worried about you, but Ilya was right, I was being entirely selfish and cruel. I didn't like the idea of Lucio being forgiven, or that Julian was going to let him get away with what he had done, and everything just...spiralled." She shook her head and looked back at him, cupping his cheek carefully. 

"It's all right," She sighed and he moved away. 

"No. No, it isn't." He said uncertainly. "You-I said some... _horrible_ things to Ilya, and now he's gone, and you should be furious with me. Not comforting me!" She looked at him sadly and shrugged gently. 

"The moment I let go of you I checked for him," She said softly. "He gets lost too easily to be an adventurer, so I have a hide and seek charm on his engagement ring." She explains. "He's at the Raven. Once I knew he was okay I figured you've probably been beating yourself up." Asra nodded, still too ashamed to meet her gaze. "You did say some cruel things, but so did Julian. We asked a lot of you, by having Julian bring Lucio here and keeping him here. I understand that you're upset. Julian will come home eventually, and until then, you can think up ways to apologise." She sighed heavily and rubbed her face as her gaze fell on Lucio. 

"You didn't cause any trouble, did you?" She asked and he jumped, unprepared for the attention to land on him. 

"I-I...no! Not-not intentionally!" He gasped and she raised a hand to him gently. 

"I was only asking," She said and looked back at Asra. "I'll make dinner," She suggests and he smiles at her gratefully.

"Thank you so much, Violet." He breathes and she gives him a tired smile.


	8. Am I Forgiven?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian comes home drunk after a night out at the Rowdy Raven, making it somehow both easier and harder for Violet and Asra to control him. And Lucio meets Faust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Julian drunk is one of the most entertaining things I have ever done. Barely beaten by making Lucio so petrified of our deliciously sweet little magicc noodle. 
> 
> This was a really self-indulgent, sweet scene between Julian and Violet. I like writing them being romantic. Julian's such a sweetie-pie <3

The apartment was quiet during the night. Barely a breath of wind rustled the curtains. Well, when Julian returned to the shop, the quiet was certainly ceased. He thundered through the door uncertainly, his feet scrambling across the floor to keep his lanky body upright. An almost empty bottle dancing in his fingertips. A tuneless rumble echoed in his chest as he chuckled, the familiar scent maybe the only true indication in his inebriated state that he was truly back in the magician's home. His eyes swept the room, snorting as he saw the terrified form of Lucio by his bed.

"What the fuck are y-you looking at?" He slurred, tossing the bottle half-heartedly towards him. "You...ruined everything." Julian moaned and closed his eyes as the rattling ceased. "What? Why are you so frightened? The great Lucio trembling before the sight of a drunken whore?" Lucio could admit that his heart hurt a bit seeing Julian like this, but the true source of his fear was the lavender corn snake asleep in his lap.

~

_Lucio was simply holding the empty plate that once held his dinner. He was silent. He wasn't asking for trouble. And yet, the serpent from his nightmare slithered across the floor before him, looking at him with mock-innocence as they flicked their tongue out at him. He jumped and his alchemic arm instinctively raised._

_"Don't you dare!" He startled again and saw Asra snarling at him. "You lay a single finger on her, it doesn't matter what Julian wants, I'll rip you limb from limb!" Lucio whined nervously as he inched away from the creature, desperately hoping it will continue on its way and leave him be._

_"Do not worry, Lucio," Violet said in a gentler voice. "Faust won't hurt you." He still whimpered as it turned towards him and rolled towards him._

_"N-no, no, no-no please! Go away!" He bit his lip as he felt it brush his leg, sliding into his lap as he tightened his fists against the floor._

_"Lucio, she won't hurt you, I promise," Violet soothed, but the memory of his nightmare was too vivid in Lucio's mind to let her calm him. "Hold your hand to her and she might climb up it." He shook his head vehemently and tensed even tighter. "Are you just going to not move until she leaves?" He nodded weakly and tilted his head back, closing his eyes in preparation for a long night._

_~_

Lucio shook his head softly and opened his mouth to speak. "Ilya, you're back," Asra had awoken at the drunken ramblings and stood up, rubbing his eyes as he stepped towards Julian. 

"No." The doctor snapped. "You're a b-ully!" Asra frowned as Julian lurched forward, holding up a hand to prod one spindly finger into the magician's chest. "You and your...white hair, and tanned skin...and violet eyes. Grr." Asra struggled to contain a grin at the verbal growl Julian spat at him as his finger kept poking Asra's chest. "Always thinkin' things through, and, considering shit. You've always hated the way I lived so spontan-an-eous-ously! I've seen a world you only glance at! And guess what?" He rocked forward, a cruel grin on his lips. "I get to see it with your beloved Violet!" Asra reached out to steady Julian, stopping in exasperation as the doctor flung his hands out like a child, smacking at Asra.

Luckily Violet had awoken, too, and was slipping into the kitchen, unnoticed by the drunken man. "You ju-s-st wait! Imma gonna tell Violet, that you've been m-mean to me! And she, is gonna beat 'yo ass so hard it turns purple!" He began cackling, spewing pungent and acrid air into Asra's face.

"I'm sure she will," He commented, trying to steady Julian once again. "Why don't you sit down so she can make you some coffee?" Julian's body flew around in confusion, finding his fiancée in the kitchen, where he was sure she wasn't before.

"You...how-oh, Violet! My love! My flower! My perfect little bud!" He gasped, stumbling towards her. "You won't believe my stories! Asra -" He pointed to the magician very accusingly. "- has abused me! He told me, that-that I didn't deserve you! But I do! And I'm gonna prove it! Right here!" He sank to his knees and began fiddling with her skirt, barely noticing when she shoved his hands away. He sat back into his calves and leaned forward, throwing his arms around her legs. "I love you so much, my flower!" He sobbed into her thigh as he tightened his arms. "Please don't let him take you away from me!" Asra's face dropped and he stopped himself from trying to comfort his friend. "He called me wicked, terrible things! Which I'm not! I'm not!" Violet shushed him softly, stroking his hair as she poured the boiling water into the pot.

"I know he did, my Jewel," She murmured, scratching his scalp gently and earning a loving moan in reply. "But you, are absolutely pickled!" She reached down to pull him up, wiping his eyes with a thumb. "I'm making you something to drink, sit down, and let Asra apologise." She cooed and he screwed up his face unhappily. "Then we can curl up and go to sleep, sound nice?" She suggested, lip curling up, his face brightened at the suggestion and she slipped a hand behind his head to pull him in for a kiss. "I love you, my Jewel, all right?" She sighed and he nodded sheepishly, his cheeks and the tips of his ears blushing a deep red.

"I love you, too." He managed to breathe and she smiled. 

"Good, go sit down," He obeyed this time and rested on a couch, arms still crossed defensively as Asra perched across from him.

"I'm sorry, Ilya," Asra began and paused as Julian snorted. "You were right, I was being selfish, and closed off, and instead of communicating my issues, I turned it into an argument about old topics and dead problems that don't bother me anymore." Julian looked down and swallowed, not expecting such a sincere comment from the magician. "I made it about you and our past and Violet, and that wasn't fair of me. I don't blame you for responding so harshly." He reached across the table between them, resting his hand on the wood patiently. "Of course Violet loves you, of course you deserve her. You two may be the sweetest couple I've ever seen. I honestly don't mind that Violet isn't with me because I know she's found a good partner in you." Julian began sniffling again and rubbed his nose aggressively. "I was upset that you could so readily forgive Lucio, that his actions weren't still affecting you as badly as they were me. I was jealous, that you were a kind enough person to offer him a chance while I still want to turn him in to the guards." Julian swallowed heavily and glanced up at Asra nervously.

"Does that mean I'm not a slut?" Asra scoffed and leapt from his seat.

"No! No, no, no, Ilya! Of course not!" He crouched in front of Julian and rested his hands on Julian's knees. "You're not a...you're a lover. A person who sees good in people and holds on to it. You aren't afraid of trusting people and giving your heart to them even if they could break it. I never deserved your heart, you were right. But that doesn't mean you're any less of a person for being so free with your emotions. If I had been more like you, maybe I could have been happier than I am." He explained, taking Julian's hands tightly in his. "I shouldn't have used your insecurities against you, and I shouldn't have gotten angrier when you reacted badly. I'm so sorry, could you ever forgive me?" Julian was barely holding back sobs and whimpered softly in reply, nodding. "Thank you, Ilya," Asra sighed, standing up to awkwardly hug the gangly man that threw his arms around Asra's thighs, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"All right, Julian," Violet walked over and placed a mug down on the coffee table. "Drink that." The doctor released Asra and reached for the mug clumsily, somehow sinking his fingertips into the drink instead of wrapping them around the ceramic. "Your depth perception goes out the window when you're pissed," Violet chuckled, righting his hand as he laughed. 

"As did I when I had to leave in a hurry from the Raven!" He joked and lifted the mug. "Mm, coffee," He sighed, sipping it deeply. "Aww, you've magicked this." He moaned and Violet giggled softly.

"I want you to remember this in the morning," She claimed, placing her hands on his tense shoulders. 

"Asra apologising to me? I'll remember it after I'm dead!" Within moments the air between the three returned to its original pleasantness, Asra rolling his eyes playfully and offering a quip back as Violet moved to take the forgotten bottle that had been half-heartedly thrown at Lucio.

"Come here, Faust," She invited and the snake hissed softly at her in reply, looking from Lucio to her with beady little eyes that seemed to convey everything she wanted to say.

_New friend!_

"Yes, well, Lucio doesn't seem to find you all that friendly."

_Fun!_

"You should stop listening to Asra." Her comment prompted a curious look from both the magician and Lucio. "Come on, leave him alone," Faust made the closest thing she could to a sigh and rolled her head in defeat.

_Fine!_

She slithered up Violet's arm and curled around her shoulders, resting her little oval head against Violet's as though she would never harm a fly. Lucio finally released the breath he had been holding in for most of the night and shifted in his position, curling up softly against the bed, knowing he wasn't welcome in the conversation. He had ruined everything, after all. 

"Finish your coffee, Jewel," She said firmly, in the way a mother would speak to a child. "It's been a long day, and you undoubtedly need some rest." She dropped the bottle into the rubbish bin as Julian gulped down the rest of his coffee, sighing proudly once he finished.

"I agree, my flower," He replied, wiping the traces of spilled coffee from his face quickly. He ripped off his eyepatch and tossed it on the table, followed soon by his gloves. he let out a groan as he kicked his boots from his ankles and ripped away his shirt, pulling himself unsteadily to his feet and holding an arm to Violet.

"We're all right, then?" Asra asked as Julian stumbled past him to meet his fiancée, watching in case the man, who was pretty uncoordinated at the best of times, toppled to the ground.

"Oh, absolutely!" Julian exclaimed, grabbing Violet's hand and pulling her into his chest, pausing to soak up her laughter at his affectionate hijinks. "It was so kind of you to offer us your bed in exchange for my forgiveness!" He added, warranting a laugh from both members of the group. Asra scoffed gently and rolled his eyes as Violet balanced her lover to prevent him from collapsing as he rocked back and forth like he was on water.

"It was, so kind of me," Asra sighed, playing along as Violet grinned at him gratefully. 

"Thank you, Asra," She said and shook Julian gently, earning a groan. 

"What?"

"What do members of polite society say when someone does something kind?"

"Ghrmn...thn yun."

"How old are you, my love?" Julian sighed dramatically and bobbed his head towards Asra.

"Thanks, Asra." He grumbled.

"Oh, my beloved Ilya, when you thank me so sweetly, how could I refuse?" Julian grumbled in a mocking way and lurched towards the bed. Lucio couldn't help but peek at the various muscles of the doctor's back that were on display now that his shirt had been removed.

"Violet!" He snapped. "Violet, come-come help me with this," She looked at him struggling with the sheets and chuckled. 

"You'll be fine, my darling," She teased and he scowled at her.

"Tomorrow," He began, literally falling onto the bed. "I want my engagement ring back." He rumbled as his face pressed into the bed, making Violet laugh as she approached him.

"I proposed to you, silly," She said, shoving him into a position in which they could share the bed. "You'd have to give _me_ the ring."

"I don't wanna do that!" Julian moaned, rolling onto his back as she settled in beside him. "It's so pretty! Look, it has a little raven on it!" He gushed, presenting the small onyx carving.

"I'm aware," Violet chuckled. "I bought it." Julian sighed as he cuddled into her side, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his head into her shoulder. 

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to get married then!" He joked and she chuckled tiredly, kissing his forehead as she pulled the blankets around his shoulders.

"I love you, my Jewel," She whispered against his temple after he closed his eyes.

"And I adore you, my flower." He replied heavily.


	9. I Hate You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Julian's outburst Lucio is forced to evaluate himself and why he was so unhappy. With the mounting pressure to hold his temper, he already begins to crack. And he and Violet finally reach an altercation.

_You ruined everything_.

Lucio scowled into his pillow, fighting to suppress his urge to cry into the pillow. It was drunk talk. He didn't mean it. But at the same time, he probably did. He didn't want to focus on the hatred in Julian's voice, replay the sentence endlessly as he analysed every lilt of the phrase, every articulated word, every emphasis of the syllables. It wasn't offering him any comfort.

"Can you shut up?" He jumped slightly and turned his gaze to where Asra was glaring at him from his cocoon of blankets on the lounge.

"I-I didn't say anything!" The man whimpered and Asra rolled his eyes.

"You're thinking." He said. "And it's quite a chore for you so it's very loud."

"Oh, I'm so-orry, I...I didn't realise." Lucio replied sheepishly, watching as Asra resettled into a comfortable position.

"Julian isn't mad at you," The words from the magician startled Lucio, causing him to look up curiously. "He's mad at me. He fought to be with Violet. He fought the others at the palace, and even against himself to convince her to choose to love him. And now he's easily threatened when someone implies he isn't entirely devoted to her." Asra remained still as he spoke, his eyes weren't even open. "So if you think he's going to help you because he's still into you, then you're in for a surprise."

_I hate you. I hate the way you think you know everything. I hate it even more how often you're right._

"I-I just want a friend," He whispered, lowering his head to the pillows. "Jules is the only one who hasn't spat on me the moment he saw me."

"I'm sure that he wasn't overjoyed to see you stalking his favourite pub."

"Well, no, but he still treated me kinder than some of the people who didn't even know I was who I was." Lucio muttered sadly. "He's the only one who still treated me like a person."

"But you aren't." It felt like a knife through Lucio's chest as the words sunk into his skin. And Asra said it like he was talking about the weather. "You're some strange, corporeal goat-thing. I can still see the fur in your aura,"

"I...I'm not really furry, am I?" Lucio asked nervously, unsure if he actually wanted the truth. Doubting Asra would really tell him the truth. 

"You made a pact with the Devil," Asra sighed, as though it were obvious. "Of course you aren't just going to be able to become human again after dying. You're always going to be marked with what you did. These are called consequences, and it means that your actions have an impact on who you are and how people see you. Sure, it sucks, but everybody else managed to deal with it." There was a soft shuffling sound as the magician snuggled into his bed and closed his eyes again. "Now, shut up and go to sleep."

~

Julian groaned as sunlight glanced across his closed eyes and the muffled glare sparked sharp pains in his forehead. He was reminded of Violet a moment later, when the warmth around his torso sighed softly in sleep and shifted against him, the familiar floral scent drifting just under his nose, allowing him a whiff of her comforting perfume before disappearing. He nuzzled his nose into the top of her head and inhaled softly, her soap just as comforting as the rest of her. The way his nose buried into her hair to rest against her scalp was soothing to the man, whose drunk conscious had convinced himself that he would never hold her like this again.

"Are you sniffing my hair?" Her rough morning voice was music to his ears. It meant she had slept, she had slept well, she had slept deeply enough for her muscles to relax, and wasn't plagued by the nightmares that made her voice whimper, or cause it to cry. He hated it when her voice was still soft once she awoke.

"I-ah...maybe...yes." He answered and heard her soft chuckle. "I just, like your smell." 

"You're such a gorgeous creature," She smiled, her fingers slipping through his hair. "Very strange, but still, very beautiful." He felt her lean up and press her lips to his cheek, chuckling as he let out a needy little whine and puckered his lips. "Why are you not opening your eyes and kissing me yourself?" She asked and he felt her hovering just above where he wanted her. 

"Head. Pain. Pain head. I diagnose with ouchie. Treatment is smooches." He grunted, reaching to pull down her head to kiss him as he kept his eyes closed. 

"Now, I'm no doctor," She began, easily avoiding his attempts in order to move away. "But _I_ think it has something to do with the copious amounts of alcohol you drank last night," She suggested, shifting to lie beside him. 

"I was hoping to avoid that kind of fact." He admitted, finally pulling his eyes open and wincing at the brightness of the world. "But, I suppose it might be more reliable than what I claimed it was." 

"How badly does your head hurt?" She asked, voice losing its humour as she revealed her worry over his behaviour. 

"No more than I deserve," He replied, rubbing his head tiredly. "Did I call Asra a bully last night?" 

"You did," She chuckled.

"And, did I say I would prove to you why I deserved you?"

"While trying to pull up my skirt, yes." 

"I'm so sorry, my love," He groaned, accompanied by her soft laughter.

"Of course not, my Jewel," She grinned, leaning over him in order to finally give him the kiss he so desperately desired. "You finally admitted you deserved me, and that is all that I care about." She said, resting her forehead against his.

"I kind of said it out of spite, rather than love, though," Julian muttered and she shrugged slightly. 

"We'll keep that between us." She whispered and kissed him again. "I love you, Julian. I love the way you focus so much on every detail, and your devotion to my happiness, and your complete disregard of your own safety to protect those you love," She said and kissed him softly. "And I love how you weren't afraid that I proposed, and that you take any opportunity to announce our engagement. You don't just say you love me, you prove it in every moment we are together." She grinned as he turned bright red, flushing all the way to his ears. 

"I-I'm not that bad to look at, either, you know?" He flustered, attempting his usual bravado. 

"Of course not," She chuckled, pecking his nose gently. "But I didn't think you would like me blatantly flattering you."

"Well I would." In truth, Julian just needed to lighten the mood, he didn't want to burst into tears in a room occupied by both Asra and Lucio.

"Hm, well, your nose is nowhere near as big as you think it is," She began smirking at him. "Your eyes, both of them, are so open that you could never hide how you feel, and they are absolutely encapsulating -"

"Liar," 

"I _love them_." She stated, kissing his eyelids carefully. "Beautiful grey eyes, and your red sclera only makes you more interesting. It matches your hair, which is always perfectly soft, and wavy, and it seems to fall effortlessly in the most incredible way. Your face is gorgeous, too,"

_How can a face be gorgeous?_

"Stunning cheekbones, perfect chin, smooth skin, upsettingly-shapely eyebrows. Your height is perfect, I don't need to look up too far to look at you, and when we hug I can nuzzle my face into your neck, and I can feel our hearts beating together. You're strong enough to protect me, even though you know I don't need it, but you aren't too muscular, so I don't have to be afraid of hurting you, or having you hurt me." She silenced his attempt at assuring her he wouldn't ever hurt her with a kiss, swallowing his moan lovingly.

"You are perfect, absolutely flawless to me." She cooed, kissing him again.

"You're such a liar." Julian smiled weakly.

"Only when I say you're flawless. There are still so many ways you can improve, but most of them are based around your own fear." She snorted, giggling as he pulled her down to kiss him again.

 _You forgot his hands._ Lucio frowned to himself. _Large and delicate. He can wrap an entire hand around yours in a single embrace, and touch you in ways you never thought one could touch you. And they're so careful whenever they brush against your skin. Soft, adoring hands with no whisper of hurting you. Hands that caress, and care, and soothe, and protect. Hands created by Gods._

"I love you," Lucio felt pain in his chest as he heard the true, overwhelming love in Julian's voice. He may have begun tearing up, his soft lips would be trembling, his cheeks heating up so much, Violet could probably feel the fire from inches away.

"Oh, my love," She chuckled in response, and he flinched as he heard them kiss. He didn't know what was happening to him. He didn't like it. He had never felt this way before, about anyone. He refused to call it love. At the very most it was jealousy only because he missed being caressed and adored the way Julian always did. He had never felt love. Julian was sweet but he was far too much effort. But there was no one else who could occupy his thoughts quite like Julian could. What he wouldn't give for just a moment without Violet, or Asra to interrupt them. To feel Julian's hands in his hair, his eager hips butting against Lucio's, that needy little whine he would make when Lucio teased him, the way that Lucio could visibly see him hardening in his pants when the Count nibbled the sensitive skin of his neck. Just a brief moment where he could reclaim Julian, and satisfy the craving for contact and desire that had been itching underneath his skin since he was abandoned to the realms. Julian could fill it. With his suffocating adoration, his addiction to worshipping Lucio, devoting himself to the Count's pleasure, all for the rushed compliments in the heat of passion and a half-hearted affirmation once his orgasm was ebbing.

He caught himself quickly and bit his lip. He didn't want to be like that anymore. That was cruel, he used to relish the wanting look in Julian's eye as he was pushed away to let the Count sleep, or the off-hand acknowledgement he made that seemed to feed the desire burning in the doctor's stomach. But he knew now that not only would it no longer work, but it was also behaviour that had earned him the eternity of isolation and maddening paranoia. He couldn't go back there. He would destroy that part of him unflinchingly if it meant that Julian would maybe offer him a kind look once again. Anything other than that look of unbridled disgust that he had first been given when they met again.

Violet and Julian climbed out of bed and Lucio glanced over his shoulder at the movement. Julian was reaching for his shirt as Violet fixed her mussed hair and they realised that the magician was absent from his bed on the lounge. Lucio's eyes were drawn to the way that Violet moved, her marked hands moving through her hair gently, shaking the curls from their hold and tying them back up in a fresh bun. Even while tired her eyes remained alert, moving from the kitchen to the living room to Julian's hunched shoulders, she seemed to take note of every bunching and shifting muscle under his pale skin, as well. He could see why Julian was drawn to her. He always liked confidence, and her calculating gaze, tall shoulders, and certain voice made her to be some kind of goddess to Julian. Once Lucio would have been like that. Not anymore, now he was a weak creature. A kicked dog.

He wondered sometimes about Mercedes and Melchior, wondered what had happened to them. They would have been ashamed at the coward he had become. But he was too afraid to ask. Just in case they had done something to them. He wouldn't blame them, they were always a handful, those pair. No. No, he _would_ blame them. They were his pets! His perfect, loyal hounds! They were good dogs! So noble, so regal, so much like him that he felt like a part of him was gone when they weren't around. They were such good dogs. They didn't deserve whatever happened to them after Lucio was exiled. He wanted them back. He wanted to pat his babies again. His chest shuddered as he suppressed sobs, tears already slipping silently down his cheeks. He hated crying whilst lying down, the feeling of tears dripping over the bridge of his nose always annoyed him. He dried his eyes quickly and swallowed his grief before they could realise he was awake. He wouldn't let them see him even weaker than he already was. 

"Lucio?" He jumped when he realised someone had said his name and turned, sitting up to meet Julian's eyes. 

"Yes?" He asked softly, afraid that the doctor had heard him.

"Would you like some coffee?" He nodded without thinking and swallowed as Julian smiled at him slightly. "Are you all right?" Violet glanced over now, and even though she looked away quickly to busy herself at the stove, Lucio knew she was still listening intently. 

"I'm fine." He stated firmly. As much to himself as to Julian.

"Okay," As Julian walked away Lucio's gaze fell to his hands, his golden one was of course armoured with his claws, but the other was plain. Tired, pale skin, heavily creased, and as he flexed it experimentally he watched his bitten nails curl into his palms. His skin was clear of fur. Asra was a liar. A filthy liar. He just wanted to torment Lucio. He scowled as he turned his hand over again, studying for any trace of white fur growing from his follicles. But of course he wouldn't be covered in hair, the form he took in-between realms wasn't corporeal. It was invisible to him. Asra could see his aura. Who he was, other magicians could see it, too, then. Violet most probably had stared at it in disgust when Julian first brought him in. 

He knew she hated him. She didn't hide it well. Neither did Asra. At least Violet had the grace to try when Julian was present. But he could always feel it, the hatred radiating off of her. He hated her, too. 

A few minutes later Lucio looked up to see Julian in front of him, crouching over to hand him the mug. Lucio could see the fine red hair that decorated Julian's chest, he felt the urge to reach out and stroke it, he wanted to touch Julian again. It didn't really matter where.

"Here," Julian smiled, balancing the base of the cup on his fingers so Lucio could take the handle. "Plenty of milk," Lucio felt a flutter in his chest as he realised that Julian still remembered his coffee preferences and returned the smile. 

"Thanks, Jules," He said, taking the mug and sipping it carefully.

"Hey, are you all right after yesterday?" Julian's eyebrows lowered with concern and Lucio felt himself flushing.

"Of-of course, why wouldn't I be?" He asked and Julian smiled slightly.

"I mean, it was a bit crazy yesterday. I'm sorry for storming out on you." He said, pushing the hair from his eye and tucking it behind his ear. "And if I said anything when I was drunk, I obviously didn't mean it." 

_No, I'm sure you did._

"It's fine," Lucio smiled. "You didn't say anything." Julian huffed in relief and grinned at the creature.

"That's good," He chuckled. "I'm not fond of having large gaps in my memory!" He pushed himself back to his full height and looked down to Lucio. "We'll get some clothes for you, today, so you won't have to sit there in a towel or blankets." 

"You don't, have to worry about stuff like that," Lucio replied as his lips pulled upwards slightly.

"Oh, it's all right, we can give you some of my old clothes."

_Your throwaways? You want me to wear your rags?_

"You -" He caught himself and looked up as Julian raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "Thank you," He finally said. "You're being really kind to me." Julian smiled at him and shrugged softly, turning and leaving him for the woman waiting at the kitchen bench for him.

"I'll be right back," The fiancée in question said quietly to the redhead. "I'm just going to take Asra some tea, I imagine he's down in the shop." Julian stopped her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I can take it, my flower," He suggested, reaching to slide the saucer from her fingers. "I'm a bit more decent," She raised an eyebrow to him and he chuckled gently. "Can't have any of his customers leering at you." She rolled her eyes as he took the teacup and kissed her again.

"You're ridiculous." She smiled as he began walking past her.

"We are ridiculous, together." He corrected her, turning on his heel to move towards the stairs. 

"Yes, well if you don't look where you're going I'll end up having to be ridiculous on my own." She retorted, watching his lanky gait stumble across the floor. "And that's not as endearing an idea as you might think." He turned his head to grin at her just before he descended the staircase. 

"I'll never make you be ridiculous on your own, my darling, I promise," He said and smiled to himself as he heard the musical lilt of her laughter follow him. As Julian disappeared Violet turned back to the food she was making for them, and hazarded a glance over her shoulder.

"Would you like some breakfast, Lucio?" The man in question tore his eyes from the stairs and for a brief second, accidentally locked his silver irises with her enormous green ones.

"I-I'm all right, thank you," He murmured, dropping his gaze to the floor and lifting the mug to his lips.

"Are you sure?"

_If I said I'm all right, then that means I'm all right, you stupid -_

He barely caught his thoughts and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "Yes, I'm sure," He said carefully. "Thank you." This time she listened and turned her focus back to the loaf of pumpkin bread she was slicing and toasting over the stove. 

"Actually," Lucio was just as surprised to hear his voice come out as Violet was, and it took him a moment after she turned to look at him before he could continue. "You're-you're a magician, is there a spell you could give me?" He asked and Violet raised an eyebrow. "I mean, to make me a good person!" He added quickly. "I don't know...I don't know how to be good," He admitted and she shook her head.

"No." Part of Lucio's stomach plunged down to the deepest depth of hell, while the other rose into his throat. "Your personality can not be altered by a spell. You will need to learn on your own. Others did." He felt his stomach rise back into his body, bringing with it the fire that heated his cheeks and pricked his eyes with shameful tears. 

"I am not _like_ others!" He growled, glaring at her. "Why should I pretend that I'm like you peasants? I am the Great Count Lucio!" She turned to face him as he threw himself to his feet and hunched his shoulders towards her threateningly. 

"You were." She stated dryly. "And it's because of your current attitude that you are even here."

"You just don't want to help me!" Lucio yelled. "You hate me! Just like Asra! You're both just angry that I had everything you couldn't and that Julian loved me! You're just afraid that I'll take him from you!" Violet scoffed disdainfully and raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm sorry, Lucio, but I'm a decorated magician who helped save our realm from the Devil's clutches, the pirate mistress that has effectively run a looting crew of legitimate criminals, and the fiancée of your ex-lover, Julian. You're a dirty, talentless hobo who couldn't ask anyone else for help because you became the most loathed creature in Vesuvia and its allies by pissing on your bridges before setting fire to them." She replied, lips twitching into a cruel smile. "The only reason you even got to speak to Julian was because we stopped here on our way to Nevivon. Where we are getting married. I don't think you could steal him from me."

"He didn't propose to you, though," Lucio snapped. "He didn't love you enough to propose to you." Her face lowered slightly before her glare intensified. 

"If you were the last creature alive in our realm, Julian still wouldn't want you. He's since realised what a toxic, taxing, spiteful waste of space you are, and he now understands his worth. You see the way he loves me. You know that it isn't forced." He almost felt wounds opening on his skin as her insults struck him. "You are nothing more than a pile of arrogant sludge that managed to convince a poor old boyfriend that you wanted something new. How long did that last? Two days?" He shook his head, ignoring the tears of frustration and rage that were threatening to break over his lashes. 

"The entire time you and Asra were treating me like a criminal!"

"You are one! A terrorist that plagued Vesuvia for years even after you died!"

"How was I supposed to be better when I had you rubbing your happiness in my face every opportunity you had and Asra threatening my life and belittling me? You claim that everyone learns to be good, well they don't! I became powerful because very few people are good, and those who are learn when they are young! I asked for a chance and you've done nothing but talk down to me and abuse me!" He felt the tears drip down his cheeks and reddened from shame. "This treatment is how I became a tyrant in the first place! You blame me for my consequences, but why should I even try when everyone already treats you like a villain?"

"You stole my body -"

"It was mine first! It was mine first." He whimpered. "Asra stole it from me when I was dying! I didn't have a choice but to make a deal with the Devil! I didn't want to die. I did whatever it took to go back home!"

"It's your fault for trading your soul for power! You brought the plague to Vesuvia, and it killed thousands! It killed me! Julian still wakes up some nights screaming because of the nightmares your epidemic caused! It would have been justice that you died of your own horrid disease!"

"How dare you? I didn't understand! I was a child! I wanted to try and change, but you wouldn't let me! My only crime was ignorance to the consequences of my actions! I was punished for it by being banished to the hellish Magical Realms, where I was hunted by poisonous and dangerous creatures, some were real and others hallucinations, and abandoned by the harsh environment, and forced to drink muddy water and eat slugs to survive!" He growled. "I missed my home. I missed Nadia. And my friends. And my parties. And my precious babies!" He sobbed as the fate of Mercedes and Melchior struck him once again. "Julian is the only one who treated me like a person! Who accepted that I could be better and wanted to help me! I thought that the people adored me, all I ever wanted was to be liked. I begged for him to help me learn how to be good, and he didn't scoff in my face or spit at me! You're just as bad as I was, am!"

"Lucio, Violet," Their heads whipped to the doorway and saw Julian and Asra staring at them both. "What's wrong?" Julian's voice was too soft, too kind, it reminded Lucio of what Violet had said, and how true it was.

"I hate you." He hissed to Violet. "I won't ever not hate you for what you made me." Before any of the three could even draw breath, the man had clambered out the window and disappeared to the street.


	10. The Canals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian finds Lucio about to do something horrible and manages to stop him before it's too late. But there's still a long way to go before Lucio can be trusted around the canals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that canon claims that Faust sounds like Danny Devito but I reject that statement.

"Violet," Julian whispered, dumbfounded. "What in the seven hells happened?" The woman turned her eyes back to the space where Lucio had been before running away and bit her lip.

"We got into an argument." She said softly.

"Oh really?" He scoffed. 

"We could hear you from the shop," Asra said and stepped over to the window. 

"Lucio was being an idiot," Violet snapped, twisting to look at Julian again. "He told me I had to give him a spell to make him a decent person and when I said no he said that I was only saying that because I was 'jealous' of him because he could take you away from me." The grey eyes staring at her softened and he shook his head. 

"You know that he isn't like you!" He finally replied sadly. "He's just a child at heart. He doesn't know how to handle rejection, he doesn't understand what it takes to better yourself, he never had to learn. But you did." 

"I shouldn't have to be responsible for him!" Violet replied angrily. 

"Violet...no, you're right, I'm sorry." Julian looked down and ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. Violet recognised the resignation as a sign of Julian abandoning his own belief to please her. An aspect taught to him by Lucio.

"No, wait, I'm sorry!" She rushed to apologise, moving closer to him. "No, you're right, I'm being immature," As her fingers laced with Julian's he seemed to brighten slightly and straightened.

"You should be better than him," He murmured, tightening his hands in hers. "Yes he's an asshole, and an idiot, but it's not because he wants to be. He knows he's wrong, but he really has no idea how to be any different." He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers gently. "You do, and maybe it's my fault that this happened, but I'm not going to leave him. Because no one else will help him, and you proved that to him. I won't let him think he can't be anymore than what he was before." He looked at her regretfully and closed his eyes to consider his next words.

"Julian -"

"Violet, I can't." He said firmly, opening his eyes. "I have to find him." 

"I know. We'll find him." She agreed. "But we can't bring him back here, again. We need to take him to the ship." Julian nodded and released her hands reluctantly.

"I love you, Violet," He sighed, leaning to rest his forehead against hers. "But I want to help Lucio, even if you won't support me."

"Of course I support you, Julian," She replied, resting a hand on his cheek. "I was being spiteful, I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead and smiled at her in relief. 

"That means the world to me, my flower,"

~

The afternoon sun was creeping towards Lucio's toes as he huddled under the bridge, the blankets wrapped around him felt like alien skins after the scratchy weight of the animal skins he had once donned. He listened absentmindedly to the footsteps thumping above him, and on the streets around him, the sound helped him stay calm, every time his thoughts raced away from him and he found himself rocking back and forth, heart speeding and soft whimpers escaping his lips he would listen to the sound of the feet around him, and try to match his breathing to their rhythm.

When he was Count he sometimes became overwhelmed like this, Nadia had suggested the breathing technique. He loved her for helping him with it. He had been so ashamed by his weakness, he had lashed out initially when Nadia found out, but she had still helped him. So many people did this. Were kind to him even when he was rude. 

_I should just hurl myself into the canal. Violet was right, it's my fault I'm in this situation. Everyone else could figure out how to be decent people, there's obviously something wrong with me. Julian won't try and find me, he was reluctant to give me a chance in the first place, and all I've done is start fights and argue with Violet. I'm still more trouble than I'm worth._

_Am I really worth anything?_

He hadn't realised that he had even stood up until a voice was calling his name and snapping him out of the haze that was drawing him towards the edge of the canal. 

"Lucio!" He turned his head and met Julian's deep grey eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Leave me alone, Julian," He whispered, turning his eyes back to the rushing water beneath him. "Didn't you hear me? I doubt Violet's happy that you found me." He heard Julian step closer, slowly, like he was approaching a wild animal. Lucio found that Julian had done this a lot around him. 

"She's in the Temple District, Asra's roaming the Heart District, it was good luck that I found you." Julian said softly as he moved closer. "But you don't call me Julian often." He added uncertainly. 

"Good luck?" Lucio scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Good luck would have been if you never found me in the first place. Violet and Asra were right, I'm nothing but a waste." His torso leaned further over the edge of the canal, threatening to teeter over the edge. 

"Did they say that to you?" Julian asked. 

"No," Lucio sighed, glancing back to Julian. "I inferred it from their words, and how they looked at me, and how they treated me. It isn't a secret that they wish they could turn me in to Nadia." There was a pause as Lucio swallowed thickly and inched closer to the inviting pool beneath him. "I'm going to do you all a favour." His voice cracked and he sniffed before balancing his foot on the edge, ready to step off it.

"Hey! Stop that!" Julian exclaimed, jumping forward to grab Lucio's arm tightly. "What are you thinking?"

"Let me go, Jules," He hissed, closing his golden claws around Julian's bicep. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me," He replied surely and Lucio tightened his grip.

"I will. I will if you won't let go of me." His eyes prickled as he heard his voice crack and Julian shook his head.

"Whatever you think you're going to do, you aren't."

"I'm doing you all a favour!" Lucio yelled, shoving Julian roughly away from him as the tears broke over his lashes. "Isn't this what you had wanted? You wanted me dead! Or at the very least gone! You wanted me to stop being such a bother! So get lost and let me...let me do this!" It wasn't the first time he had considered something like this, but it was definitely more comforting to think that he could be found and buried in Vesuvia rather than be picked apart by creatures in the Magical Realms. 

"Nobody wants you to kill yourself, Lucio!" Julian snapped, turning Lucio's head to look at him, his thumb gently caressing the tear-stained cheek. "Just take a breath, I'm right here, just calm down." His voice softened as Lucio's hands trembled just under Julian's elbows, itching to collapse into his arms.

"I'm so useless, Jules!" He sobbed, covering his ugly mouth with his hands. "Why would you even want to help me?" Julian pulled him into his chest, gently wrapping his arms around the creature. 

"I won't let you convince yourself that you're beyond helping," He whispered into Lucio's clean hair. "Violet and Asra may have been a bit harsh towards you, but that doesn't mean you just give up." His hands tightened gently around Lucio. "Take a deep breath, just relax, I won't leave you again, I promise." Lucio whimpered into Julian's chest as he nodded, his legs trembling from the adrenaline that was pushing him to the canal. 

"Why are you helping me, Jules?" He whined, clutching Julian's ribs in a feeble attempt to hug him back. "I'm nothing but awful. I was horrible to you when we were together, and I wasn't good to anyone else, either! Violet was right, I deserved what happened to me!" Julian tutted softly and began stepping back carefully, leading Lucio to the incline he had been sitting on a few minutes before.

"Honestly, Lucio?" He asked gently once he had pulled the sniffling creature to a sitting position, waiting for a weak nod against his chest before continuing. "I'm just too kind. I can't sit by and watch you think that you were born bad and will stay bad. Maybe...maybe it's because I used to feel affection for you and don't want you to feel abandoned." Lucio felt his heart flutter and he hesitantly lifted his head up to face his saviour's face, taking note of the concerned look in his eyes, how his eyebrows were angled upwards in the middle, and his lips were pouted ever-so-slightly.

"There you guys are," Lucio's head twisted violently to the voice that reminded him of a tight chest and angry tears.

"How did you find me?" He scowled and Violet rolled her eyes. 

"Please, please Lucio," Julian whispered, stroking his scalp soothingly. "If you don't want to get into confrontations with people, try not to be so aggressive, I told you we were all looking for you." 

_Don't be aggressive._

"Sorry," He murmured, turning his gaze away from Violet to the muscle of Julian's bicep.

"I noticed Julian's heart spike and figured he had found you." Violet answered, her voice dry and unreceptive to Lucio's apology.

"Violet," Julian said firmly. "Remember what we talked about," Lucio heard her sigh and a heavy pause stretched between them.

"Thank you for apologising, Lucio." She said finally, beginning to step towards them. "I'm sorry for losing my temper at you before, maybe I was a bit callous considering you were asking for my help." Lucio could feel her glaring at him, judging the way he was curled into her fiancé. But he made no attempt to move away from the comfort.

"I'm sorry...for-I'm sorry for..." He couldn't bear the idea of revealing what he had said to Julian, he would lose all respect for Lucio. If there was any at all.

"I already know what happened, Lucio," Julian whispered, as though understanding Lucio's hesitation. "It's all right,"

"I'm sorry for getting upset, I shouldn't have said those things about you, or Jules," When he finally breathed out the apology, there was silence, for a little too long for Lucio to be comfortable with. He didn't want them to make him say it again, new tears were already sliding down his hot cheeks and he felt like he was going to be sick.

"That's good enough," Violet eventually said, releasing both relief and resentment in Lucio's chest.

"Hey! Hey it took me a minute to get here!" Asra puffed as he joined them under the bridge. "Are you okay, Lucio?" Lucio was surprised to hear Asra checking on him, he expected the magician to be frothing at the mouth after how Lucio had argued with Violet. 

"Lucio?"

"Sorry!" He gasped, turning to face the panting figure beside Violet. "I-I...yeah, I'm okay, thank you, Asra." He swallowed and reluctantly withdrew from Julian's arms. "I'm fine," He stated unconvincingly and curled up on the stone.

_Lies!!_

Lucio jumped at the sound that echoed in his skull, high and squeaking, his eyes locked onto the purple serpent that curled around Asra's shoulders, resting her head on his collarbone. He didn't like the snake. He kept waiting for it to leap at him, red eyes aflame and fangs bared to sink into his flesh. He didn't trust it. He didn't want it anywhere near him.

"Don't panic, Lucio," Asra said softly, taking a step towards him. "I'm not going to hurt you, and Faust wouldn't even consider it." Lucio looked from the magician to his familiar suspiciously, not trusting. 

"Leave me alone." He tried to mimic a scathing tone, one that would frighten the creature away and maybe get Julian to finally let him dive into the cool waters of the canals. But it came out as nothing but a pathetic whimper, an injured dog growling at you in an alleyway, easily scared away by a pace towards them. The façade was so miserable that even Violet's disgust wavered. 

"Let me heal you," Asra continued, unperturbed. "I can sanitise those open wounds, and soften some of your scars so it doesn't hurt so bad," That idea was very appealing to Lucio, who could feel his injuries throbbing with each pulse of his heart and sometimes couldn't fully flex his muscles thanks to the firmness of his stiff marks. But Faust's head shifted and he tensed up again, stiffening his jaw to glare at it. "Faust won't hurt you," Asra sighed softly. "That creature you saw in your nightmare is nothing like Faust," The snake appeared to be smiling at Lucio, he didn't like how it mocked him. "I promise." 

"Why are you being nice to me?" Lucio asked heavily. "What are you trying to do?"

"Julian, explained some things in an enlightening way, and I figured that you were probably in need of a bit of niceness." Asra explained and Lucio looked tearfully at Julian, still not sure about why he was looking for him, let alone managed to convince Asra to be nice to him. 

"I told you I'm not letting you think you were unable to change." The redhead smiled to him softly, faltering when he saw the way Lucio's eyes filled with tears.

"I-I...I don't deserve this, Jules," He whimpered, lifting a hand to his mouth and sniffing. "You're wasting your time!" Julian walked over to Lucio's form and knelt beside him, placing his arms protectively around Lucio.

"A bad person wouldn't care that they were bad, Lucio," He cooed, rubbing his spine comfortingly. "You've been beating yourself up for being a bad person that's undeserving of our kindness, but if you were really bad, then you wouldn't care. You wouldn't want our kindness because you wouldn't think that you were bad." Lucio found no way to argue with that, but it was painful to maybe admit to himself that he is or could be good. "Asra's good at healing magic, he'll make it easier for you," Lucio nodded softly and glanced back to Asra.

"I don't like the snake, though." Asra sighed softly and looked at Faust.

"Go curl up in the sun," He suggested, gently untangling her from his torso. She huffed softly and slithered towards a patch that caught her eye, that just so happened to be past Lucio. He yelped when she began sliding towards him and tried diving away from it, but Julian's form was in the way. Julian stroked his scalp softly as he whimpered and Asra stepped towards him again.

"It's all right, Lucio," Julian said gently. "I'm just going to move away from you so Asra can so his stuff, I'll still be here, though." Lucio nodded as the calming presence drew back from him, leaving him to the mercy of the magician and his remarkable change of heart.


End file.
